Italian infrastructure company Infrastrutture Wireless Italiane (Inwit) has hit back at Swisscom's Fastweb+Vodafone over the carrier's plans to terminate its tower agreement with the company.

Inwit has called the action "unlawful," and stated that Fastweb+Vodafone's contract remains valid and effective until 2038. The towerco, which currently operates around 25,000 towers in Italy, said the move also "lacks industrial rationale."

The response comes hours after Swisscom-owned telco Fastweb+Vodafone informed Inwit that it intends to terminate its Master Service Agreement (MSA) with the cell tower provider.

Fastweb+Vodafone plans to terminate the MSA at the end of March 2028, as the company claimed that Inwit's tower costs were too high.

Fastweb+Vodafone's plans to terminate the agreement followed its announcement last week that the carrier, along with Telecom Italia (TIM), announced plans to form a tower-focused joint venture in Italy. The two telcos confirmed that a non-binding agreement has been signed for the development and management of up to 6,000 new mobile phone towers under the JV.

"Devoid of any legal basis," says Inwit

However, Inwit has fired back at the telco, stating that its agreement with Fastweb+Vodafone is "in line with market conditions and creates value for all parties involved."

The company said that the move to terminate the contract is "an act that is devoid of any legal basis and, as such, will be challenged in all appropriate venues."

"The company will immediately file for injunctive relief before the Court of Milan to block the effects of the termination notice," said Inwit.

Inwit notes that its MSA agreement dates back to a transaction carved out in 2020, in which Inwit acquired the infrastructure previously held by Vodafone Italia S.p.A. for a total value of approximately €5.7 billion ($6.58bn).

"Consequently, any attempt to terminate the contract early must be considered instrumental and aimed at exerting undue pressure on Inwit to renegotiate the terms of the MSA. In response to such initiatives, Inwit has instructed its lawyers to take action in all appropriate venues, including seeking injunctive relief, to fully protect its interests and those of all stakeholders," added the company in its statement.