ROME/MILAN (Reuters) - European pay-TV group Sky has spoken to Italian broadband company Open Fiber about providing possible ultrafast broadband services in Italy, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Thursday.
Matters were at a very early stage, the source said, adding: "It's normal business to talk but there's still a very long way to go."
Asked whether talks had been held with Sky, Open Fiber CEO Tommaso Pompei said on Thursday: "Contacts are under way with everyone. We speak to everybody and everybody speaks to us."
On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Sky was in talks with Open Fiber for network access as it looked to add high-speed broadband services in Italy to its premium content packages.
Open Fiber, owned by utility Enel (MI:ENEI) and Italian state lender CDP, is rolling out ultrafast broadband to take on phone incumbent Telecom Italia (MI:TLIT) in its network investments.
Sky declined to comment.