(Telecompaper) Italy's antitrust and competition authority, AGCM, has announced the launch of an investigation into possible abuse by Telecom Italia (TIM) in the expansion of its fibre-optic broadband network to underserved and rural areas all over the country. The watchdog said it will probe whether TIM has purposely tried to slow down the process to roll out broadband in so-called digital divide areas by appealing against the tenders launched by the government, actions that "could obstruct the development of infrastructure competition and the entry of new rivals", according to the antitrust body. The AGCM will also look into whether TIM has attempted to pre-emptively lock customers in the areas into long-term contracts by offering anti-competitive commercial offers that cannot be replicated by rival operators.