Opportunity opens for mobile operators as ATC moves to address penetration gap

There is a ray of hope for mobile network operators in Africa who lack sufficient penetration and service quality, with the commitment of Pan African Tower Company Limited (ATC) to serve towers to over 70 percent mobile operators.

This commitment is coming at a time when experts have estimated that Nigeria requires over 100,000 additional towers in the next five years, to bridge service quality gap and roll out of 4G LTE and 5G broadband technologies.

The tower company says it will serve over 70 percent of mobile network operators in Africa and help to accelerate African strong appetite for broadband penetration, which is a major focus of most African governments to accelerate growth and improve GDP.

The pan African tower firm will have up to 35,000 mobile towers within the next five years to bridge this gap. This will be achieved through both creative (not traditional) sale, – leaseback of tower sites and modern build to suite with Green technology at a very low cost, taking advantage of current advancement in technology and alternative energy solutions.

According to the company, this will offer unparalleled value to mobile operators in terms of low lease rate, which are index in local currency to hedge against African currency volatility against dollar and match most Mobile Network Operators revenue currency, which is mostly local and by extension value to telecoms consumers.

Stakeholders say this will be a relief to mobile network operators who are currently operating under high operating cost due to dollar-based lease payment for mobile towers across Africa, from the existing independent tower companies with old technologies and outdated business models.

“This is a welcome development to help Africa accelerate the much needed growth, create healthy competition and deliver value for stake holders most, especially telecoms consumers for education, health, agriculture and businesses which is an essential factor in real economic development, poverty reduction and GDP growth,” said Sohail Haider, director, Pan African Tower Company.