Wireless Tower Market in Europe: MNO Regulatory Requirements and Debt Burdens Create Opportunities for Tower Companies
Summary
Growing demand for mobile data is a key factor driving the European Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to invest heavily in setting up wireless tower infrastructure, resulting in extraordinary financial burdens. However, this growth is putting substantial pressure on existing infrastructure, creating a need for more wireless infrastructure sites.
With declining ARPS and pressure to invest in network quality and LTE roll-outs, MNOs are looking to divest their tower infrastructure in order to reduce capex and debt. Adding to this pressure, government mandates Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to develop / expand wireless networks in rural areas in order to meet government’s rural wireless infrastructure development plan. This has emerged as an opportunity for third-party tower companies (towercos) in recent years.
Key challenges and factors inhibiting market growth for the European wireless towers market include low economies of scale in rural areas, strict regulations pertaining to electromagnetic emissions, cost and issues relating to site acquisitions, obligations from local bodies, adoption of infrastructure sharing and emergence of small cell technologies amongst others.
The report “Wireless Tower Market in Europe: MNO Regulatory Requirements and Debt Burdens Create Opportunities for Tower Companies” offers a thorough study of the wireless tower market in the European region.
In depth, it provides the following –
– Explains the major sources of wireless capacity and the different radio access nodes used to offer wireless coverage.
– Provides an assessment of the European wireless tower market with a focus on selected markets in the region.
– Includes an in-depth examination of the key factors driving and inhibiting wireless tower activity in Europe.
– Provides case studies that analyze the wireless tower markets in the UK, Italy and Romania. The report concludes with a summary of key findings and a set of recommendations.
Companies mentioned in this report: Telefonica, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Orange, SFR, Bouygues, Telecom, Wind, Hutchison, BT, 3, T-Mobile, Cellnex, FPS Towers, TDS, INWIT, Arqiva, Wireless Infrastructure Group, Telxius, Omega Towers, Deutsche Funkturm
Scope
– In Europe, a growing LTE subscriber base and the increasing adoption of mobile video traffic driven applications over LTE-enabled smartphones is providing fuel for wireless tower market growth. It is, however, also resulting in substantial pressure being placed on operators to increase the number of wireless tower sites.
– Until recently, the majority of wireless tower sites were owned and managed by MNOs, however this scenario is changing due to the increase in divestments of tower infrastructure by these operators. MNOs are either selling their tower infrastructure to independent towercos or creating independent entities to manage the tower infrastructure.
– There are a variety of challenges faced by the key players in the European wireless tower market, which include complex permitting processes, site acquisition, environmental regulations and lower ARPU and population density in rural areas.
Reasons to buy
– This report examines the wireless tower market in the European region, in order to enable new tower companies to align their product offerings. The report also provides analysis of tower market structure along with drivers and inhibitors influencing the region with a focus on the region’s major markets, including France, Italy, Romania, UK, Spain, Germany and Russia among others.
– Helps executives build proactive, profitable growth strategies by offering comprehensive and relevant analysis of growing opportunities in the European wireless tower market, regulatory framework, competitive environment and best practices of the existing operators.
– The case studies focus on the drivers and inhibitors within three leading tower markets in the region including the telco strategies being pursued in these markets to drive business, which can be beneficial to local players or prospective market entrants.
– By understanding the interests and positions of the main stakeholders in the wireless tower market (including independent tower companies, MNOs, end users and regulators), telecom professionals and operators can develop strategies and increase their participation in the growing tower market.