For the deployment of future ICT-infrastructure within smart grids, a huge synergy potential between the telecommunication and the energy sector is expected. However, our analysis shows that there are substantial strategic hurdles to overcome in order to foster co-operation between communications providers and DSOs as there are various asymmetries among them. The main reason for co-operation among the energy and communications sector consist in assumed advantages, e.g. faster implementation of smart grid services and solutions. The regulatory framework, which is perceived to be in need of further clarification, has been identified as the main hurdle for co-operation, while technical issues are not as important. DSOs and communications providers showed substantially different opinions when it comes to their particular assessment of the co-operation potential between the two sectors. Additionally, this assessment also depends highly on the smart grid use case in question.