resource management
Tower-sharing benefits
Outsourcing infrastructure has helped telecom firms curb costs
Managing telecommunications infrastructure such as cellular network towers can be tricky. This is especially the case in those African countries where power supply cannot be guaranteed, and where towers require back-up generators and batteries, making them more expensive to run than anywhere else. To navigate tough competition in the mobile industry, telecom firms have begun to outsource core infrastructure. Towers are key assets for these companies, and it took years for them to establish a network that provided optimal coverage for users. By outsourcing, firms have reduced costs and even helped raise money. The tower management industry in Africa has experienced steady growth in the past 10 years and network operators have slowly become more receptive to handing over their passive infrastructure to third parties. Some firms are saving up to 30% in operational expenses by outsourcing towers (which can be leased to multiple companies at once). This is despite towers costing more to ...
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