Telecom towers are a combination of steel structures that are designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting. Wireless communication for the most part is connected using telecom towers. This includes mobile networking, television antennas, as well as radio broadcasting.
Telecom towers can vary in height depending on the area in which they are located. These towers can vary from ranges such as 15 meters to 60 meters as well as higher than that.
Key Drivers of Telecom Towers Market
The telecom towers market is primarily dependent on mobile subscriber density and number of telecom service providers in any region. Increase in reach of mobile phones to almost every remote area and rise in competition among service providers for better network coverage are some of the drivers of the telecom towers market.
Increase in accessibility of smartphone devices, rise in need for high-speed Internet connectivity, increase in investments in smart city projects, and growth in demand for IoT devices are boosting the demand for Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-A). This has resulted in increase in investments in LTE-A infrastructure by network operators. However, high installation cost and high operational costs are key factors that are expected to pose challenges for the telecom towers market during the forecast period.
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Independent Tower Company Ownership Segment to Offer Lucrative Opportunities
The global telecom towers market can be segmented based on ownership, tower type, installation, connectivity, and region
In terms of ownership, the market can be divided into independent tower company, MNO, and others. Currently, independent tower companies own around 70% of the total 4.50 million towers around the world.
In terms of tower type, the market can be divided into lattice tower, guyed towers, monopole towers, and others. The lattice tower segment is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period.
Based on installation, the market can be segmented into rooftop and ground-based
In terms of connectivity, the market can be segmented into on-grid and off-grid
North America to Hold Major Share of Global Telecom Towers Market
In terms of region, the global telecom towers market can be classified into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa
Asia Pacific dominated the global telecom towers market in 2019. The market in the region is expected to expand at a prominent pace during the forecast period. Increase in penetration of smart devices and rise in demand for better telecom infrastructure and network services are some of the factors driving the telecom towers market in Asia Pacific.
China has the highest number of telecom towers in the world, owned by the state-run China Tower Corporation.
North America is other major region of the global telecom towers market. In 2017, the number of mobile phone users in the U.S. reached about 266 million, with mobile internet penetration of about 237.2 million. Mobile internet penetration is expected to cross 275 million by 2023.
Europe is a matured region of the global market. The market in the region is estimated to expand at a relatively sluggish pace during the forecast period.
The global telecom towers market is highly concentrated with top manufacturers accounting for approximately 40% to 45% share. Key players operating in the global telecom towers market include:
AT&T Inc.
American Tower Corporation
Cellnex Telecom SA
Helios Towers Africa
Bharti Infratel
China Tower Corporation
SBA Communications
Crown Castle International Corporation
T-Mobile Towers
Key Developments
In January 2020. Cellnex France and Arteria announced that they had signed a framework contract for marketing and providing services linked to 200 telecoms towers of the RTE group subsidiary, as well as over 600 land holdings where new towers could be built
In December 2019, Brookfield Infrastructure acquired a portfolio of approximately 130,000 communication towers that forms the infrastructure backbone of Reliance Jio's (Jio) telecom business
In April 2018, Crown Castle International Corp. announced that its subsidiary, CCR Srl, agreed to purchase a 49% interest in RaiWay SpA, a subsidiary of RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana) SpA, the Italian state-owned television and radio broadcaster, for approximately US$ 380 Mn. RaiWay employs more than 750 people and manages over 2,300 broadcast transmission sites across Italy, representing the largest broadcast tower network in the country.