MILAN, May 27 (Reuters) - Italian mobile phone operator Windis about to sign a non-disclosure agreement with Metrowebshareholders which could be a prelude to buying a stake in thefibre optic network provider or simply end up as a commercialdeal, two sources close to the matter told Reuters on Wednesday.
The possible cooperation between Wind, a unit ofAmsterdam-based phone group Vimpelcom, and Metrowebcould also involve the Italian unit of Vodafone, thesources said, adding that any stake acquisition was still faraway.
Wind declined to comment.
Metroweb, which is partly state-owned, is seen as a buildingblock for Rome's multi-billion euro plan to roll out anationwide fibre-optic network.
The plan has stalled due to difficulties in bringing Italy'sNo. 1 phone group Telecom Italia on board and,according to the sources, the non-disclosure agreement with Windwould not change the picture.
Metroweb shareholders have already signed a similarnon-disclosure accord with Vodafone in March. (Reporting by Stefano Rebaudo, editing by Danilo Masoni)