India’s telecom sector is currently undergoing a major transformation. Once a crowded sector, the market is now consolidated into a handful of players that are busy finding new and innovative ways to grow.
The demand for data services is far exceeding that for voice services. If the introduction of 4G LTE services was the catalyst for the astronomical data growth in the country, the future launch of 5G services promises to take the data need to the next level. Driven by affordable smartphones and budget-friendly data plans, the demand for high-speed mobile broadband is expected to go up as much as five-fold in the next 6–7 years. This is set to cause major structural changes in the industry’s business models, giving telecom tower companies a huge opportunity to support the next level of telecom growth.
India’s major tower companies include Indus Towers, GTL, Bharti Infratel, and American Tower Corp. Of these, Bharti Infratel is owned by Bharti Airtel, while Indus Towers is a joint venture between entities of Bharti Group and Vodafone Idea.
Tapping New Opportunities
The initial phase of telecom growth saw a spurt in the installation of mobile towers to facilitate voice communications. However, a later decline in voice usage, followed by the recent consolidation have affected the cashflows of tower companies. The challenges being faced by tower companies stem from telcos’ tightened budgets. It is understood that if telcos fail to get any substantial relief on their AGR dues, there might be some revisions in the master service agreements (MSA) between telcos and tower companies. On the positive side, the exponential growth of data services and focus on developing smart cities have strengthened the growth prospects of tower companies.
Esta historia es de la edición November, 2019 de Voice and Data.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November, 2019 de Voice and Data.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Can US AI copyright law impact Indian policymaking?
The proposed Act suggests compensating original creators for content that is used to train Gen Al. This can be a good middle ground for many in tech to follow
Rise of the connected cars
Advanced features like 5G, IoT, and AI are reshaping the automotive industry in India, promising enhanced mobility and safety for drivers
Navigating chaos: Securing trust in digital communication
Amid rising fraud risks, CPaaS tools offer a lifeline. SMS, though vulnerable, remains pivotal for real-time alerts in a chaotic digital landscape
The silent communication warhorse
While 5G grabs the headlines, 4G LTE quietly fuels global mobile networks, enabling high-speed Internet and IoT growth with wide adoption and growth potential
HPE Launches Wi-Fi 7 APs for enhanced connectivity and security
Hewlett Packard Enterprise launched Wi-Fi 7 access points (APs), boasting up to 30% more wireless traffic capacity than competitors.
Getting ready for the great Indian switch
India's mobile landscape is undergoing a shift: from feature phones to feature-rich, affordable smartphones, driven by consumers' desire for a better user experience
Net neutrality takes a right turn again
Led by Biden's commitment to protecting the Open Internet, the recent FCC decision has brought the Net Neutrality debate back to the front
It is time to ghost the AI dating bots
As mobile apps and AI dating bots surge in popularity, addressing pressing concerns about privacy, data manipulation, and transparency is paramount
Will voice interfaces ever take off?
Voice as a primary user interface has shown flickers of promise but has never taken off. Today, with AI at hand, it is still failing to go mainstream
Mega deals paper some cracks for in-turmoil IT firms
Amid the tricky financial year 2023-24, IT firms saw losses in Pack revenue from their telecommunications clients-suggesting that a rejig could be in order