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Pietro Labriola

Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Telecom Italia

Search every verified Pietro Labriola interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Pietro Labriola, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Telecom Italia (TIM), recently discussed challenges facing the European telecommunications sector during an October 2026 appearance on the program War Room by Enrico Cisnetto. He attributed low investment capacity in part to regulatory uncertainty and price competition, stating that Italy has some of the lowest mobile prices globally and the lowest fixed-service prices in Europe. Labriola also noted that Italy chose higher auction prices for 5G frequencies in 2017-2018, which he said contributed to the country lagging in deploying standalone 5G networks. He suggested that operators may need to skip a technological cycle to leapfrog ahead, citing Brazil's transition from 3G directly to 4G as an example. He also used the phrase "5G Turbo" to describe standalone 5G in Italy. At a September 2026 event titled "A tua difesa – Verso la Finanz.2027," Labriola participated in a panel on artificial intelligence and the future of work alongside Alberto Gusmeroli and Vincenzo Caridi. He discussed AI's role in transferring skills between generations, arguing that blocking AI adoption to protect jobs would be counterproductive, comparing it to halting the arrival of public lighting to save candle factories. He emphasized that adopting AI is necessary for European competitiveness, warning that without doing so, Europe risks becoming dependent on American hyperscalers, referencing a statement by the President of the Republic about a "new era of the East India Company." He also highlighted the importance of focusing on skills development and noted that AI tools could help provide feedback and guidance, particularly in sectors with aging workforces.

Recent appearances

Notable quotes

“In Italy, the first line item for you, and for all operators, the first item is the top line: revenues. We have the lowest prices in the world for mobile and the lowest in Europe for fixed services. So we have the lowest revenue item, and then we have high personnel costs because our Constitution—and I share the principle—protects employment. It applies to Italy, France, Spain, and Germany; let's remember, it does no”

“We are always faced with the dilemma as a country: the egg today or the chicken tomorrow. Our country in 2017-2018 chose the egg, in the sense that it charged an exorbitant price—we can say that with hindsight—for 5G frequencies. It was said back then that it was a crazy figure. But what were the consequences? 2017-2018, almost 9 years have passed today and we are the country furthest behind with 5G Standalone networ”

“The answer is very simple, it's not that we can, we must. If we don't do it, we will become the future colonies, as the President of the Republic also said last time, speaking of a new era of the East India Company, where the East India Company is all the American hyperscalers. We don't have the possibility to choose, we must do it. On this, two very quick things. First, when small and medium enterprises start using ”

“The other side of the coin, which we also share here as a reasoning, is that certainly some jobs will be replaced. We cannot, I made an example before, it's like when you had a candle factory, before public lighting and energy arrived, that factory produced candles or lamps to light the streets or the houses. If someone thinks let's block the arrival of AI to safeguard jobs, we are dead. What we need to understand is”

“Se io avessi un ARPU di $40-50, ogni euro in più io guadagno faccio 160 milioni di equity free cash flow. Quindi se avessi l'ARPU e quindi il ricavo medio per cliente americano sono 6 miliardi e 4 in più di equity free cash flow all'anno.”

“Tutta la rivoluzione di internet, la rivoluzione dello streaming, dei contenuti e adesso delle AI comunque si basa su un titano che si porta il mondo sulle spalle che sono le telecomunicazioni, perché le telecomunicazioni ti devono dare dei servizi perfetti a dei prezzi e questa è una cosa folle.”

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