Tower safety update: The industry that is enabling the Internet of Things may benefit from IoT technology itself.
Wireless Industry Safety Task Force
The Wireless Industry Safety Task Force met in Denver last week. The group is an industrywide effort spearheaded by the National Association of Tower Erectors. The task force includes Verizon Wireless, AT&T Mobility, T-Mobile US, Sprint, U.S. Cellular, SBA Communications, Crown Castle, American Tower and the largest wireless infrastructure services firms. Working groups include manufacturing and engineering solutions, skills-based training, standardization requirements and governance.
“Each group has got their own unique mission,” said Todd Schlekeway, executive director of NATE. “The dialogue and collaboration has been outstanding. A lot of these challenges you just don’t obviously solve overnight. You wish there was just a quick fix but there’s not.”
Within the manufacturing and engineering solutions work group, the Wireless Industry Safety Task Force is reaching out to fall equipment protection manufacturers like Elk River and Skylotec. Discussions include ideas like a smart lanyard or a smart pelican hook that could override attempts to ignore best practices.
“The carriers are very interested in this,” said Schlekeway. “What advancements can be made to the equipment and to the structure itself to continue to diminish the fall protection risk that’s in the industry?” Schlekeway said the working group is just beginning its conversations with manufacturers.
Tower sales in Africa
Tower companies are on the move in Africa as the emerging wireless market transitions from carrier-owned towers to multitenant cell sites. Etisalat Nigeria has announced the sale of 2,136 of its towers to IHS Holding Limited. Etisalat will lease space on the towers and will use the proceeds from the sale to accelerate its 2G and 3G rollout.
“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,” said Matthew Willsher, CEO of Etisalat Nigeria, adding that his company’s network is already the most highly rated in the nation.
IHS, which is active in Africa’s alternative energy business, has committed to investing a further $100 million in advanced generators, efficient batteries and alternative energy solutions for the towers acquired, with the goal of reducing diesel consumption and using the power grid efficiently.
Meanwhile India’s Bharti Airtel has sold approximately 3,100 African towers to Helios Towers Africa. The carrier said the towers span four nations but did not name the countries. Currently, Helios owns towers in Ghana, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo. After the transaction closes, Helios says it will own 7,800 African towers, the largest number held by an independent company focused exclusively on Africa.
According to Nigerian news sources, more tower sales are in the works. Nigeria’s Leadership reports that Bharti Airtel Africa wants to sell as many as 15,000 of its towers across 17 countries for $2 billion to $2.5 billion, while MTN Group is preparing to sell tower assets worth about $1 billion. American Tower, IHS, Helios Towers and Eaton Towers are the expected bidders in both transactions.
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