(Telecompaper) Italian operators Vodafone Italia and Wind have signed a letter of intent with shareholders of broadband provider Metroweb to roll out a fibre-optic network throughout the country via a new vehicle called Metroweb Sviluppo (Metroweb Development). Vodafone Italia had already signed a non-disclosure agreement with infrastructure fund F2i over the possibility of buying a stake in Metroweb, while Wind had previously offered the assets of its fixed-line unit Infostrada as a means of implementing the government's broadband expansion plan. Italian state-backed holding company CDP, whose FSI fund is one of the main shareholders of Metroweb, has also come on board. "The project is open to other operators and investors who share the goal of building a national fibre-optic infrastructure in accordance with the guidelines and methods identified in the government's ultrabroadband plan," said Metroweb, Vodafone, Wind, F2i and FSI in a joint statement.