Elon Musk's Starlink, Telecom Italia at loggerheads in broadband rollout

Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service provider has accused Telecom Italia of hindering its broadband internet rollout in Italy by withholding information needed to coordinate its signals.

Starlink claims that Telecom Italia for months has failed to comply with regulations that require it to share data to avoid frequency interference, in complaints filed with Italy's telecoms regulator and the industry ministry, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

These accusations were rejected by Telecom Italia Tuesday, with a spokesman telling AFP that "the information owed to Starlink has already been provided".

Other requested information, however, was "sensitive data relevant to the security of communications", Telecom Italia said, adding it was willing to enter into government-organised mediation talks.

Industry Minister Adolfo Urso said Tuesday he was prepared to organise meetings with Starlink and Telecom Italia to "find a solution that allows the best possible coexistence of the two technologies, as required by law".

Starlink argued that the lack of information provided by Telecom Italia could have a negative effect on its service in some areas of Southern Europe and North Africa, Bloomberg reported.

Starlink has established itself as one of the world's leading satellite internet providers, with more than two million customers.

It involves a network of satellites in low Earth orbit that can provide internet to remote locations, or areas that have had normal communications infrastructure disabled.