BRUSSELS, May 30 (Reuters) - U.S. investment firm KKR

secured unconditional EU antitrust approval on Thursday

for its 22-billion-euro ($24 billion) acquisition of Telecom

Italia's (TIM) fixed-line network.

The deal is significant as it marks the first time that a

big telecoms operator in a major European country is divesting

its landline grid, potentially paving the way for others to

follow suit.

The European Commission's announcement confirmed a Reuters'

story last week.

"The Commission investigated the impact of the transaction

on the market for wholesale broadband access services in Italy

and concluded that it would not significantly reduce the level

of competition," the EU executive, which also acts as the EU

antitrust watchdog, said in a statement.

KKR has sought to address concerns of Telecom Italia's

rivals about those rivals' existing contracts put in place after

the creation of FiberCop, Telecom Italia's last-mile grid unit,

and has offered a pledge to keep them on the same terms and

prices, people with direct knowledge of the matter have told

Reuters.

This informal remedy has also allayed EU worries, they

said.

The Commission said a master services agreement (MSA)

that will govern the relationship between NetCo (the grid

acquired by KKR) and TIM post-transaction is not an integral

part of the transaction, as it is not an agreement through which

KKR acquires control over NetCo.

Some rivals including Vodafone had voiced concerns about the

master services agreement.

TIM's landline network covers nearly 89% of households

in Italy and its fibre and copper cables stretch over 23 million

kms (14.3 million miles). The grid sale is part of a

government-backed plan to cut Telecom Italia debt.

($1 = 0.9245 euros)