Mukesh Ambani-owned Infotel Broadband Services plans to set up over 1,00,000 towers for its4G operations in the next three years, moving away from its 'asset-light' model and possibly disappointingtelecom tower companies, including Anil Ambani's Reliance Infratel, which were hoping the RIL group company would use their passive infrastructure for its services.
Infotel Broadband had invited bids earlier this year from tower operators for leasing around 26,000 towers across India for the first phase of its wireless broadband foray. But those plans are on hold, and according to three people familiar with the development, the company has sought quotes and samples from equipment vendors for carbon fibre telecom towers.
The estimated outlay for the company's launch, which is expected later this year or early next year, has been nearly doubled to $8-9 billion, from the originally stated $4 billion in 2010, said one of the three persons.
A Reliance Industries official, who asked not to be named, said the company may partly use its own towers while it may rent the rest from existing tower companies. But if Infotel Broadband does meet its target of building 1,00,000 towers, there might not be any need for it to rent further capacity. Indus Towers, the country's largest tower company, owns around 1,10,000 telecom towers.
Mukesh Ambani-owned Infotel Broadband to set up over 1,00,000 towers for 4G operations - The Economic Times
Infotel Broadband had invited bids earlier this year from tower operators for leasing around 26,000 towers across India for the first phase of its wireless broadband foray. But those plans are on hold, and according to three people familiar with the development, the company has sought quotes and samples from equipment vendors for carbon fibre telecom towers.
The estimated outlay for the company's launch, which is expected later this year or early next year, has been nearly doubled to $8-9 billion, from the originally stated $4 billion in 2010, said one of the three persons.
A Reliance Industries official, who asked not to be named, said the company may partly use its own towers while it may rent the rest from existing tower companies. But if Infotel Broadband does meet its target of building 1,00,000 towers, there might not be any need for it to rent further capacity. Indus Towers, the country's largest tower company, owns around 1,10,000 telecom towers.
Mukesh Ambani-owned Infotel Broadband to set up over 1,00,000 towers for 4G operations - The Economic Times
