BSNL to share mobile towers for wireless expansion

NEW DELHI: BSNL, the country's third largest mobile operator in subscriber terms, will share towers with other operators to cut costs involved in expanding its wireless network.

This is a marked departure from a legacy-oriented PSU trying to retain profitability in the fiercely competitive Indian mobile segment where operators are doing everything to add profit in a low tariff regime, a company source said.

BSNL's fixed line service has reach across the country, barring Delhi and Mumbai, but the company which was a late entrant in the mobile telephony space is trying to catch up with the private sector by following the industry trend of sharing infrastructure.

A senior official of the PSU said BSNL wants to utilise passive telecom structures like towers, space and associated powers from infrastructure companies and telecom service providers on shared basis along with all related operations and maintenance activities in various locations of different telecom circles.

BSNL wants to use telecom infrastructure space, tower, gen set and associated power sub system for augmenting wireless services across the country.

Sharing of towers has gained currency among mobile operators in the last one year, as it helps in cutting down costs on fixed assets and focusing on operational efficiency. The three companies together, Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Essar and Idea Cellular own more than 70,000 towers across the country.