Etisalat sells 2,136 towers to IHS Holding
Telecoms service provider, Etisalat Nigeria, on Thursday announced the sale of 2,136 of its towers to IHS Holding Limited, as part of a broader strategy to drive improvements in the quality of its network performance.
The company said in Lagos that the sale of the towers would also enhance the rollout of 2G and 3G coverage and facilitate the availability of new services to its customers.
The transaction, the first by a major Global System of Mobile communication operator in Nigeria, is expected to close later this year.
Etisalat said the partnership with IHS was designed to promote network sharing, ensure higher quality, sustain reliable mobile services and lower overall costs.
The company said the partnership would also promote a cleaner environment through reduced diesel usage and increased investments in alternative energy solutions.
Over the past 18 months, IHS has installed a large number of alternative energy sites in the country. These and further investments in its Network Operations Centre, mean that uptimes of over 99 per cent are achieved on its owned sites, according to the firm.
Under the terms of the transaction, IHS is committed to investing a further $100m in the acquired towers, advanced generators, efficient batteries and alternative energy solutions to reduce diesel consumption and improve efficiency of grid usage.
The Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Matthew Willsher, said continued demand for mobile connectivity along with increased consumption of data required reliable and effective networks that were also cost-efficient for the network operators.
“The decision to sell our passive infrastructure to an experienced commercial partner, such as IHS, is part of our strategy to increase network coverage and capacity, which is already rated number one for quality of service by the Nigerian Communications Commission,” Willsher said.
The Chief Executive Officer, IHS, Mr. Issam Darwish, said the company was delighted to have been trusted by Etisalat Nigeria with its passive network infrastructure.
He said, “Our market leading operations team, managed through a state-of-the-art network operations centre, and our continual investment in better, more efficient systems and technologies will ensure that that trust is well placed.
“This partnership will provide significant long-term benefits to Etisalat Nigeria, allowing it to focus entirely on marketing new customer propositions to a wider market.”
The company said in Lagos that the sale of the towers would also enhance the rollout of 2G and 3G coverage and facilitate the availability of new services to its customers.
The transaction, the first by a major Global System of Mobile communication operator in Nigeria, is expected to close later this year.
Etisalat said the partnership with IHS was designed to promote network sharing, ensure higher quality, sustain reliable mobile services and lower overall costs.
The company said the partnership would also promote a cleaner environment through reduced diesel usage and increased investments in alternative energy solutions.
Over the past 18 months, IHS has installed a large number of alternative energy sites in the country. These and further investments in its Network Operations Centre, mean that uptimes of over 99 per cent are achieved on its owned sites, according to the firm.
Under the terms of the transaction, IHS is committed to investing a further $100m in the acquired towers, advanced generators, efficient batteries and alternative energy solutions to reduce diesel consumption and improve efficiency of grid usage.
The Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Matthew Willsher, said continued demand for mobile connectivity along with increased consumption of data required reliable and effective networks that were also cost-efficient for the network operators.
“The decision to sell our passive infrastructure to an experienced commercial partner, such as IHS, is part of our strategy to increase network coverage and capacity, which is already rated number one for quality of service by the Nigerian Communications Commission,” Willsher said.
The Chief Executive Officer, IHS, Mr. Issam Darwish, said the company was delighted to have been trusted by Etisalat Nigeria with its passive network infrastructure.
He said, “Our market leading operations team, managed through a state-of-the-art network operations centre, and our continual investment in better, more efficient systems and technologies will ensure that that trust is well placed.
“This partnership will provide significant long-term benefits to Etisalat Nigeria, allowing it to focus entirely on marketing new customer propositions to a wider market.”
Etisalat sells 2,136 towers to IHS Holding
![Etisalat sells 2,136 towers to IHS Holding]()
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