Italy seeks new options for TIM after bid for network put on hold

FILE PHOTO: The Tim logo is seen at its headquarters in Rome, Italy November 22, 2021. REUTERS/Yara Nardi/File Photo

MILAN (Reuters) -Italy's government said it would seek to find by the end of this year "the best market-friendly options" for struggling Telecom Italia (TIM), signaling a planned bid for the phone group's grid by state lender CDP has been put on hold.

Championed by the previous government of Mario Draghi and due by this Wednesday, the offer was part of a broader project to combine TIM's network assets with those of smaller rival Open Fiber to create a national champion under CDP's control.