New entrant to the nation’s communications mast and towers provisioning company, Pan African Tower Limited (PATL) may become the needed game changer to sweep away and clean up some the outdated technologies currently hobbling service signals in some parts of the country.
A Director in the company, Sohail Haider, said his group will offer unparalleled value to mobile operators in terms of low lease rate, which are index in local currency to hedge against African currency volatility against dollar.
While stressing that the main aim in entering Nigerian market is to help drive mobile broadband penetration, Haider said ATL will among other innovations, raise about 35,000 mobile towers within the next five years to bridge the gap of poor service delivery arising from masts with outdated technologies.
He said this will be achieved through creative sale, leaseback of tower sites and modern build to suite with Green technology at a very low cost, taking advantage of current advancement in technology and alternative energy solutions.
According to him, PATL will offer unparalleled value to mobile operators in terms of low lease rate, which are index in local currency to hedge against African currency volatility against dollar.
It will also match most Mobile Network Operators’ revenue currency, which is mostly local and by extension value to telecoms consumers. “With a projected portfolio of 35,000 towers, Pan African Tower will be the biggest tower company on the African continent with a holding company in Seychelles.
He added that “This will be a relief to Mobile Network Operators who are currently operating under high operating cost due to dollar-based lease payment for mobile towers across Africa, from the existing independent tower companies with old technologies and outdated business models.
Experts say for Nigeria to be well connected, the country needs about 50,000 additional towers in the next five years to bridge the current gap in service quality and roll out of 4G LTE and 5G broadband technologies.
