Users from the northern city of Milan to the Sicilian capital Palermo reported problems, with the issue mainly focused on fixed-line internet services.

Some soccer fans bemoaned interruptions to their streaming of the Serie A game between Spezia and league leaders Napoli.

"An international interconnection problem impacting the service at national level was detected. Analyses are underway to resolve the problem," a TIM spokesperson said.

There was no indication that the problems were caused by hackers, Italy's ANSA news agency reported.

TIM, the former national telecoms monopoly, is at the centre of a takeover struggle, with private equity group KKR having made a non-binding bid to buy its network.

(Reporting by Keith Weir and Elvira Pollina; Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Jan Harvey)