Market Overview

The Telecom Tower Market is expected to register a CAGR of over 4.56% during the forecast period 2019 – 2024. The leasing concept has enabled the MNOs to invest heavily in developing their infrastructure and reach across rural regions, thus bringing new revenues to the tower operators, through tower installations. Tower-sharing is one of the major growth drivers for the telecom industry, as it provides benefits like cost reduction and faster data rollout. The telecom tower industry has gained high prominence as an independent industry, mainly in India and the United States.

Over the years, millions of dollars have been spent on improving broadband connectivity to the rural areas. The annual data usage via wireless networks has been increasing rapidly, promoting the smartphone penetration considerably. In 2015, the US Department of Agriculture invested around USD 85 million for improving the internet connectivity in the rural areas of the country. However, government initiatives are not the only factors responsible for promoting internet connectivity in the rural areas.

The broadband adoption can help improve the economy in rural areas by increasing income, creating jobs, and by lowering unemployment rates. However technology keeps improving, enabling existing wiring to carry more and more data. Alternative techniques are being used to promote broadband in rural areas. For instance, broadband via mobile phone technology or via satellite. Though via satellite is an expensive alternative, it stands as one of the dependable sources of broadband for people staying in rural areas.

Despite regular investments from the governments, many rural areas around the world lack access to high-speed internet services. With the introduction of next-generation technologies, such as the Internet of Things, and advanced connectivity spectrums, like 5G, the global telecom tower market is expected to have an increase in demand over the next few years.

The environmental impacts of telecom towers have always been a major concern. Radiation from mobile towers has always been an issue, which is recognized as an unseen and subtle pollutant that may be affecting life forms in multiple ways. 

Installation across a few regions has been stopped, considering the local public’s fear of the environmental damage that the presence of the mobile towers may cause in the neighborhood. For instance, the residents of Clear Lake Riviera, California, have cited fire danger as their primary concern toward the installation of a telecom tower. Telecom operators like Verizon and AT&T are finding a need for the tower in the region, however, the concerns of the public has been delaying the process. The tower is ready for set up by December 2018, after the feasibility tests conducted by Horizon Tower, a prominent telecom infrastructure provider. Although in the above cited instance, installation got a nod, the impact of the environmental concerns cited by the public in the setting up of the towers has been evident. 

Scope of the Report

The increasing data usage by consumers has led to a competitive telecom landscape across regions. With tower sharing becoming increasingly popular among the MNOs, the tower operators have been able to reach operational efficiencies. Independent tower companies owned around 70% of the total 4.10 million towers around the world (as of 2017). China has the highest number of telecom towers in the world, owned by the state-run China Tower Corporation. They have around 1,968,000 towers and it was estimated that they are leasing over 550,000 towers.

Key Market Trends

Lattice Tower is expected to register a Significant Growth

Lattice telecom towers are mostly three-legged towers, with tubular leg elements and tubular bracing members. They are used explicitly in case of heavy loads, which makes them suitable for central communication hubs and MW backbone sites in hurricane zones.The primary purpose of setting up a lattice telecom tower in a telecom network is to support more than one antenna for communication purposes. These towers also support the load of supporting apparatus used in communication networks.

Lattice telecom towers find their primary applications in radars, video surveillance equipment, and GSM/CDMA equipment. They can be used as electricity transmission towers, radio towers, or as an observation tower.

The weight of the lattice tower is spread over a greater area, which reduces the pressure on the foundation and the ground. The modules of a lattice telecom tower can be assembled easily and does not require heavy equipment and cranes, which further optimizes the cost spending of vendors.The truss action and larger base dimensions of this infrastructure help resist the applied loads more effectively, leading to a lighter structural design. Also, wind loads are reduced due to the lattice topology.

North America is Expected to Hold Major Share

The North American region has been witnessing a significant shift, with the majority of towers being increasingly transferred from MNOs to independent tower companies. Owing to supporting initiatives by the governments, the region is expected to continually strengthen its position in the global market. For instance, the US Department of State’s Global Connect Initiative (GCI) aims to bring an additional 1.5 billion people online by 2020, thus creating a demand for more connectivity and network infrastructure.

Moreover, aggregate annual wireless capital expenditure in the United States was valued at USD 30 billion, which is expected to augment the market’s growth. In 2017, the number of mobile phone users in the United States is expected to reach about 266 million, with mobile internet penetration of about 237.2 million. Mobile internet penetration is expected to cross 275 million by 2023. Increasing wireless data usage continues to compel wireless service providers to improve their networks’ quality, and make incremental investments on the coverage and capacity of their networks.

Subscriber adoption of advanced wireless data applications, particularly mobile video, advanced devices, and densification of advanced networks by wireless service providers, to satisfy the growing demand for high-bandwidth wireless data, are driving the increased deployment of towers in the region.

Competitive Landscape

The Telecom Tower Market is highly competitive and consists of several major players. In terms of market share, few of the major players currently dominate the market. These major players with prominent share in the market are focusing on expanding their customer base across foreign countries. These companies are leveraging on strategic collaborative initiatives to increase their market share and increase their profitability. The companies operating in the market are also acquiring start-ups working on Telecom Tower Market to strengthen their product capabilities. In April 2018, Crown Castle International Corp. announced that its subsidiary, CCR S.r.l., agreed to purchase a 49% interest in RaiWay S.p.A, a subsidiary of RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana) S.p.A., the Italian state-owned television and radio broadcaster, for approximately USD 380 million. RaiWay employs over 750 people and manages over 2,300 broadcast transmission sites across Italy, representing Italy’s largest broadcast tower network.

Reasons to Purchase this report:

– The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format

– Report customization as per the client’s requirements

– 3 months of analyst support

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Deliverables

1.2 Study Assumptions

1.3 Scope of the Study

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Introduction to Market Drivers and Restraints

4.3 Market Drivers

4.3.1 Connecting/Improving Connectivity To Rural Areas

4.3.2 Providing Wider Coverage And Catering To Increasing Data Needs

4.4 Market Restraints

4.4.1 Environmental Concerns About Power Supply Systems To Towers

4.4.2 Tower-sharing Between Telecom Companies

4.5 Value Chain / Supply Chain Analysis

4.6 Industry Attractiveness Porters Five Force Analysis

4.6.1 Threat of New Entrants

4.6.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers

4.6.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.6.4 Threat of Substitute Products

4.6.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry 

5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 By Fuel Type

5.1.1 Renewable

5.1.2 Non-Renewable

5.2 By Type of Tower

5.2.1 Lattice Tower

5.2.2 Guyed Towers

5.2.3 Monopole Towers

5.2.4 Stealth Towers

5.3 By Installation

5.3.1 Rooftop

5.3.2 Ground Based

5.4 By Ownership

5.4.1 Operator Owned

5.4.2 Joint Venture

5.4.3 Private Owned

5.4.4 MNO Captive

5.5 Geography

5.5.1 North America

5.5.2 Europe

5.5.3 Asia Pacific

5.5.4 Latin America

5.5.5 Middle East and Africa

6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Company Profiles

6.1.1 Bharti Infratel Limited

6.1.2 Helios Towers Africa

6.1.3 American Tower Corporation

6.1.4 SBA Communications Corporation

6.1.5 AT&T Inc.

6.1.6 GTL Infrastructure Ltd

6.1.7 T-Mobile Towers

6.1.8 Crown Castle International Corporation

6.1.9 China Tower Corporation

7 INVESTMENT ANALYSIS

8 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS

MARKET SEGMENTATION

By Fuel Type

Renewable

Non-Renewable

By Type of Tower

Lattice Tower

Guyed Towers

Monopole Towers

Stealth Towers

By Installation

Rooftop

Ground Based

By Ownership

Operator Owned

Joint Venture

Private Owned

MNO Captive

Geography

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East and Africa