by Evolution of Telecom Towers
Telecom towers have come a long way since the inception of wireless communication. In the early days of mobile telephony during the 1980s and 90s, telecom companies relied on short-range transmission towers mounted on top of tall buildings to cover small areas. However, as demand for ubiquitous mobile connectivity grew exponentially over the next couple of decades, traditional towers were no longer sufficient to meet coverage and capacity needs. This led to the development of purpose-built freestanding telecom towers ranging between 30-150 meters in height, deployed systematically across wider areas. By the late 1990s and early 2000s, most major networks had transitioned to independent tower structures to support their growing 2G infrastructure requirements.
Tower Sharing Trend
With the proliferation of mobile operators and technologies like 3G and 4G/LTE over the 2000s, the number of Telecom Towers increased manifold worldwide to ensure nationwide connectivity. However, this also resulted in visual pollution and real estate issues due to towers belonging to different telcos occupying the same or adjacent sites. To address these challenges, the trend of tower sharing gained momentum globally where two or more operators co-locate their equipment on a common supporting structure. This helped optimize infrastructure costs through reduced Capex and Opex spending per operator. It also improved land utilization while lowering the overall number as well as height of towers required. Today, tower sharing has become an indispensable practice followed by almost all telecom companies to build out networks in a sustainable and economical manner.
Tower Siting and Safety Regulations
As the number of towers multiplied rapidly, various governmental organizations introduced regulations around tower deployment and maintenance practices. Key areas addressed included structural safety certifications, proximity restrictions near sensitive locations like schools and hospitals, height limitations in residential/urban areas and compliance with local city planning policies. Many countries also devised policies for mandatory tower sharing to curb haphazard installations. Strict adherence to guidelines around foundation engineering, wind/earthquake load considerations, usage of corrosion-resistant materials and periodic evaluation is a must. Proper fencing, warning signs and restricted access is also mandated to ensure people’s well-being in and around tower sites. Compliance with global/local safety standards has become equally important as meeting coverage objectives for telecoms.
Tower Construction Techniques
Based on factors like expected load bearing, land characteristics, geographical and climatic conditions – telecommunication towers are engineered using different structural designs. Some common types include:
– Lattice towers: Made of crisscrossing steel beams arranged in a triangular or quadrangular pattern providing maximum strength for antennas and equipment. Mostly erected for tall towers above 60m.
– Monopole towers: Consist of a solid cylindrical steel pole anchored to a concrete foundation below the ground. They have a smaller footprint and visual impact. Popular for towers in the 30-50m range.
– Camouflage towers: Designed to disguise the visual appearance of towers by incorporating camouflaging features like faux tree trunks etc. Often mandated near sensitive areas.
– Guyed towers: Comprise of a main pole secured by anchor cables (guys) extending outward and anchored to the ground. Provide height but larger footprint area is required.
– Roof-top towers: Mounted on terrace or rooftop of existing high-rise buildings to supplement connectivity in dense urban environments.
Appropriate engineering practices along with quality control during material procurement and construction are crucial to ensure structural integrity and longevity of towers. Regular maintenance and reinforcement also plays an important role.
Tower Leasing Business Dynamics
With increasing tower counts, several independent telecom infrastructure companies also emerged who specialized in building, owning and leasing towers and related infrastructure on a long-term contractual basis to mobile network operators. This helped telcos focus solely on offering connectivity services while infrastructure management was outsourced. Tower companies then consolidate towers from multiple operators at a given location, facilitating optimal utilization.
Revenue for tower firms is predominantly earned from monthly space rental they charge to tenant telcos based on number and type of nodes installed. Rental rates generally see an escalation of around 8-15% each year factoring inflation. Tower companies look to maximize tenant per tower ratio to improve profits. They recover initial capex in 5-7 years typically. Acquisitions of existing telco infrastructure also happen to rapidly scale up portfolio. With5G deployments gathering pace globally, demand for tower infrastructure is projected to grow substantially over the coming decade presenting opportunities for further expansion. Proper regulatory policies will be critical to enable a sustainable tower industry ecosystem supporting the burgeoning needs of connected consumers worldwide.
