Unitech Wireless enters into tower sharing agreement

(Fornebu, 11 February 2009) The Indian mobile operator Unitech Wireless today announced the signing of tower sharing agreements with Wireless-TT Info Service Limited (Tata Teleservices' tower company) and Quippo Telecom Infrastructure Limited. In addition, an agreement for the provision of transmission has been entered into with Tata Teleservices. These agreements are key components in the process of completing the transaction in which Telenor will take a 60 percent stake in Unitech Wireless.

The tower sharing agreement allows Unitech Wireless to mount its mobile network antennas onto existing as well as new towers to be built by Tata and Quippo. These two tower companies are currently in the process of merging their businesses to become one of India's largest tower companies with the scale benefits that this offers.

"The tower and transmission agreements are key elements in the process of closing our Unitech Wireless deal, and will enable Unitech Wireless to embark on a swift and cost-efficient roll-out," said Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO of Telenor.

The tower-sharing agreement covers approximately 40,000 sites, of which approximately 22,000 sites will be in place by April 2009. The remaining towers will be built in 2009 and 2010 in accordance with Unitech Wireless' needs. The tower sharing and transmission agreements both have 20-year terms with options to extend the contracts for a subsequent 5-year period.

Further process

Telenor Group and Unitech Group will seek to have the remaining conditions for completion of the transaction fulfilled during Q1 2009

Sourrce: Telenor's press-release

Вот так богатые, но экономные норвежцы режут CAPEX. Увидим ли в России такой подход массовым (про отдельные попытки отдельных компаний в отдельных регионах наслышан)?

Презентация планов инвестиций Telenor в Unitech Wireless, 22 страницы, англ. яз., в Adobe .pdf (для подписчиков). Скачать