TowerCos play catalyzing role in unlocking MNOs full potential

One of the biggest problems most telco companies face today is integrated telecommunication infrastructure, especially with TowerCos (tower comapnies). As telcos move from 4G to 5G and cater to greater demands of users, modernizing their infrastructure is a prerogative.

However, this is not just a simple fix and replace job. Existing infrastructures need to be considered when making any decisions. For example in Malaysia, the National Fiberisation and Connectivity Plan (NFCP), as well as the Jalinan Digital Negara (JENDELA) initiative nationwide, require proper planning on the placement of infrastructures to ensure the network is available to all and not disrupted.

As such, edotco Group, one of Asia’s leading integrated telecommunications infrastructure companies, leverages its pioneering Network and Planning Analytics (NaPA) and Digital Twin tools to facilitate the impending 5G rollouts. This not only includes Malaysia but another eight markets as well.

In fact, edotco is now managing and operating a diverse portfolio of more than 50,000 towers in nine countries which include Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Laos.

Edotco’s NaPA tool provides insights into potential locations for new tower sites and reduces build and delivery time. The NaPA tool uses powerful geocoding and analytics to generate coordinates with granularity and accuracy, thereby helping identify areas lacking connectivity in the markets and bridging the digital divide.

Looking back to Malaysia, the NaPA tool, edotco has successfully identified and installed 113 sites that meet NFCP objectives and 223 sites for the JENDELA initiative. The NaPA tool was developed entirely by edotco’s in-house engineers to proactively assist mobile network operators (MNOs) to be more efficient in achieving their planning objectives.

Complementing the NaPA tool is the digital twin, which utilizes drone technology to capture a digital copy of the physical asset to assist customers in interacting, analyzing, simulating, predicting, and improving performance remotely without needing to be at the tower sites physically. The innovative drone technology and advanced software solution empower data capture, labeling, and calculation with auto report generation through artificial intelligence/machine learning processes. All of these are part of edotco’s Zero Touch initiative to deliver differentiated value to customers and drive their business outcomes via analytics and AI.

“We want to be the tower company of choice, delivering value to our customers in terms of price, efficiency, and productivity, and collaborating with MNOs to increase their revenue generation potential. We also intend to expand into several new markets in Southeast Asia and South Asia, completing our presence in the region over the next few years.

This expansion is required to ensure that the company continues to deliver scale while solidifying our foothold in the region and solidifying our position as the leading pan-Asian next-generation TowerCo” commented Mohamed Adlan Ahmad Tajudin, Director & Group CEO of edotco Group.

While faster network infrastructure rollout can contribute to digital inclusivity, the cost of access has to be within reach of the masses. Currently, a prime challenge for MNOs to drive holistic telecommunications evolution is their ability to provide not only reliable but also affordable services. As such, TowerCos are best positioned to assist these MNOs by moving up their value chain to offer more innovative 5G-enabled solutions such as OpenRAN, Network-as-a-Service solutions, and Edge Computing to help MNOs deploy their own cost-effective and network-efficient solutions.

For Adlan, the telecommunications industry – particularly in fast-growing markets such as Asia – faces a significant challenge in lowering cost per Gb, which can only be reliably done through a higher degree of network sharing.

He explained that TowerCos could contribute to this endeavor by deepening tower sharing, using advanced data analytics, especially around power systems, as well as innovating next-gen solutions such as 5G-enabled street furniture, zero-touch operations, and delivering the scale-based cost advantage to the industry.

Hence, Adland believes TowerCos can play a catalyzing role in unlocking the evolutionary potential of MNOs to not only evolve the telecommunications sector but also multiply digital transformation efforts across businesses, society, and government.

 

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