A Deep-Sea Pact: Italy Teams Up for Digital Control

Italy and Retelit join forces to buy Sparkle, reshaping Europe’s data networks

11 Nov 2025

Italy’s government is extending its reach below the waves. A state-backed consortium has agreed to acquire Sparkle, the undersea cable arm of Telecom Italia, for €700m. Supported by network operator Retelit, the deal will hand Rome control of one of the world’s largest submarine data systems, with more than 600,000km of fibre linking Europe, Africa and the Americas. Completion is expected by the end of 2025, pending regulatory approval.

The purchase marks a new chapter in how countries treat digital infrastructure. Submarine cables carry almost all global internet traffic, making them as vital to economies as pipelines or power grids. By taking charge of Sparkle, Italy is not merely buying cables; it is tightening its grip on the digital arteries that sustain its economy. “This is not just an acquisition, it is a safeguard for our national digital backbone,” declared a government spokesperson.

For Telecom Italia, struggling under heavy debt, the sale is part of a long-awaited slimming. Offloading Sparkle allows the group to focus on its mobile and broadband business while reducing financial strain. The move is also politically convenient: it aligns with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s broader push for national control over strategic assets.

Across Europe, governments are taking a similar view. From France to Germany, public authorities are reclaiming stakes in data centres, networks and semiconductor firms once left to private hands. Concerns over cybersecurity, espionage and supply-chain fragility have made digital infrastructure a matter of sovereignty. “Digital infrastructure is now as strategic as energy,” says Paolo Rossi, an analyst. “Controlling the cables means controlling the flow of information, and that is true power.”

Once completed, the deal could channel new investment into faster, safer data routes connecting Europe with Africa and the Middle East, strengthening Italy’s role as a Mediterranean data hub. Critics warn that state control may slow innovation or deter private capital. Yet supporters argue that public oversight brings stability to a sector prone to global shocks and geopolitical tension.

As competition over digital networks intensifies, Italy’s move shows how nations are redefining sovereignty for the internet age. Owning the deep web’s plumbing, Rome hopes, will secure not just data but influence.