Tower tie-up of cell giants

These mobile services firms have formed an independent company to share 70,000 tower units in India, to help operators save costs and capital, reports Archana Khatri.

Bharti Infratel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone Essar have formed an independently managed and operated tower company called Indus Towers.

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The company, with a capacity to have multiple tenants, will take care of the passive infrastructure services — meaning non-electronic components of a cell site — of the three operators. It will offer services to other telecom operators, as well as broadcasters and broadband services providers. Of the three, Bharti Infratel is a subsidiary of Bharti Airtel, a cellular service provider.

“Bharti and Vodafone Essar will own approximately 42 per cent each and Idea will own the remaining 16 per cent stake in Indus Towers,” a press release said.