The American media conglomerate also owns Sky Italia, Italy's biggest pay-television provider, which has over four million subscribers.
Last year, it made an abortive attempt to rescue Telecom Italia, Italy's former monopolist, from the clutches of Olivetti.
Cafe Italia, Bar Italia and Little Italy were empty in seconds, as people avoided the televised reminders of what had happened.
In this dismal context it is no wonder that a row has broken out in Italy, where control of Telecom Italia recently passed to Pirelli, a tyre and cables group.
Italy's privatisation of Telecom Italia was completed successfully.
It is most unlikely to do so, since Mr Berlusconi is not only leader of the opposition but also founder-president of a party, Forza Italia (Go, Italy), that in the latest general election collected 8m votes.
Italy is launching a new four-year BTP Italia (an inflation-linked bond aimed at retail investors) between 15 April and 18 April.
Mr Berlusconi's Forza Italia (Let's go, Italy) and its allies on the right also promise to spend a lot more on public works: this brings back fond memories.
Mediobanca, Italy's old wheeling and dealing investment bank, managed Telecom Italia's privatisation in 1997.
Meanwhile, in Italy , Lazio booked its place in the final of the Coppa Italia courtesy of a 2-1 win over Juventus.
Intesa Sanpaolo has reportedly suggested to Italy's prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, that the government buy Telecom Italia's fixed-line infrastructure, the most politically sensitive part of the business, ensuring it remains Italian and allowing the firm to pay down debt.
ECONOMIST: Italy��s biggest telecoms firm faces an uncertain future
In Italy , AS Roma claimed a 2-1 win over Inter Milan in the first leg of its Coppa Italia semifinal.
In Italy , Mattio Destro's extra-time strike booked Roma's place in the semifinals of the Coppa Italia.
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