Axiata group’s tower unit Edotco has formed site-sharing agreements with three of Pakistan’s major operators.
Edotco has around 950 towers in Pakistan, and the deals with Jazz, Telenor Pakistan and Zong – reportedly worth around $80 million - will see the operators sharing towers, which Edotco stated will provide the country with better connectivity and energy management as well as increasing operational efficiencies.
The tower firm’s CEO Suresh Sidhu said: “Being asset-light frees-up substantial capital investment and resources from mobile operators, which they can channel towards their core business, extending their network coverage and improving service offerings for customers.”
Edotco also reaffirmed its intention to invest $250 million into Pakistan leading up to 2024, and noted that these new agreements form part of this strategy. Under its agreement with Jazz, the company will acquire several existing towers as well as constructing new towers in key sites, allowing the operator to boost its coverage and capacity.
Jazz CEO Aamir Ibrahim said: “Pakistan’s telecommunication landscape is maturing as the country accelerates its push for digitalisation. This transformation will result in Jazz streamlining its network operations and meeting the demands for fast, reliable data, which is essential for a rapidly evolving digital landscape.”
