Top Telecom Tower Companies in Bangladesh

Ads by Top in BD

The telecommunications infrastructure sector in Bangladesh is undergoing a major transformation, driven by the nation’s “Digital Bangladesh” vision, the rapid expansion of 4G networks, and the preparatory work for the impending 5G rollout. At the core of this growth are the Telecom Tower Companies (TowerCos), which build, maintain, and lease passive infrastructure (towers, power, and cooling) to Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

In 2018, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) introduced the Tower Sharing Policy and issued four licenses to independent companies, effectively separating the tower infrastructure business from mobile service provision. This structural change was designed to promote infrastructure sharing, reduce environmental impact, lower operational costs for MNOs, and accelerate network coverage across the country, especially in rural and underserved areas.

The market is now segmented into two main types of entities:

1. Licensed Independent Tower Companies: The primary focus of the new policy, driving new build-outs and acquisitions.

2. Mobile Network Operators (MNOs): Entities that still hold a significant portion of the country’s legacy tower assets but are legally restricted from building new ones.

The Top 4 Licensed Independent Tower Companies (TowerCos)

These four companies are licensed by the BTRC to exclusively build, manage, and lease tower infrastructure to all MNOs (Grameenphone, Robi Axiata, Banglalink, and Teletalk). They represent the foundation of the country’s modern, shared telecom infrastructure.

Rank	Company Name	Founding Date (License)	Parent/Major Investor	Estimated Tower Portfolio (Approx.)
1	edotco Bangladesh Co. Ltd.	2013 (Started Ops)	edotco Group (Malaysia)	$\approx$ 15,500+ sites
2	Summit Towers Limited (STL)	2018	Summit Communications Ltd. (Bangladesh)	$\approx$ 2,000+ sites
3	Kirtonkhola Tower Bangladesh Ltd.	2018	Confidence Group (Bangladesh) / American Tower Corp. (ATC)	$\approx$ 550+ sites
4	Frontier Towers Bangladesh Ltd.	2018	Pinnacle Towers (backed by KKR)	$\approx$ 250+ sites

1. Edotco Bangladesh Co. Ltd.

The largest independent TowerCo in Bangladesh and a subsidiary of the Malaysian multinational edotco Group, the 6th largest TowerCo globally.

Client Portfolio: Serves all four MNOs: Robi Axiata, Grameenphone, Banglalink, and Teletalk. Its portfolio was anchored by a major sale and leaseback (SLB) deal with Robi in 2015.
Key Services and Products:
- Tower Leasing & Co-location: Offering shared infrastructure services.
- Next-Generation Solutions: Special structures (monopoles, aesthetic towers), Small Cells, and In-Building Solutions (IBS) for urban connectivity.
- Energy Management: Focus on green energy solutions and efficient power management.
- Fibre to the Tower (FTTT): Providing essential backhaul fibre connectivity to make sites 5G-ready.

2. Summit Towers Limited (STL)

Company Overview: A rapidly expanding TowerCo and a subsidiary of the local conglomerate Summit Communications Limited (SComm), which dominates the country’s Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) market.

Client Portfolio: Serves all MNOs. Its position was solidified by a landmark SLB deal, acquiring 2,012 towers from Banglalink in 2024 (valued at Tk1,100 crore), making Banglalink a major anchor client for 15 years.
Key Services and Products:
- End-to-End Infrastructure: Unique in its ability to offer an integrated solution: both tower infrastructure and high-speed fibre optic backhaul (FTTT) through its parent company.
- Strategic Growth: Focuses on acquiring existing MNO towers and building new ones as demand grows.
- Build-to-Suit (BTS): Constructs towers tailored to client-specific network deployment plans.

3. Kirtonkhola Tower Bangladesh Ltd. (KTBL)

Company Overview: A licensed TowerCo backed by the local Confidence Group, it gained significant global backing when a subsidiary of the world-leading wireless tower operator, American Tower Corporation (ATC), acquired a majority stake.

Client Portfolio: Aims to serve all MNOs, with existing partnerships with operators like Banglalink.
Growth Strategy: Following the ATC partnership, the company announced an ambitious plan, including a reported $1 billion investment, to acquire and construct 11,000–12,000 sites, signaling its serious intent to become a major market player.
Key Services and Products: Provides site acquisition, tower construction, maintenance, and co-location services, all enhanced by ATC’s global operational standards.

4. Frontier Towers Bangladesh Ltd.

Company Overview: A strong international player, Frontier is a subsidiary of Pinnacle Towers, a digital infrastructure platform backed by the leading global investment firm KKR. The company was established after acquiring the license originally granted to AB HighTech Consortium.

Client Portfolio: Serves MNOs by providing efficient, sustainable, and future-ready infrastructure.
Key Services and Products:
- Infrastructure Build-out: Specializes in new site construction (Build-to-Suit) and asset management.
- Sustainable Energy Solutions: Focuses on providing reliable power and energy management solutions to reduce MNO operating expenses.
- Future-Ready Networks: Designs infrastructure to support the complex requirements of next-generation technologies like 5G.

Top MNOs with Largest Captive Tower Portfolios

Though not technically TowerCos under the new policy, these MNOs historically built and still own a majority share of the country’s existing tower infrastructure. They are mandated to transfer these assets to the licensed TowerCos eventually.

Rank	Company Name	Founding Date	Estimated Tower Portfolio (Approx.)	Primary Business
5	Grameenphone Ltd. (GP)	1997	$\approx$ 12,500+ sites	Mobile Service Provider (Largest MNO)
6	Banglalink Digital Communications Ltd.	2005	$\approx$ 6,000+ sites	Mobile Service Provider
7	Teletalk Bangladesh Ltd.	2004	$\approx$ 3,300+ sites	State-Owned Mobile Service Provider
8	Robi Axiata Limited	1997	$\approx$ 2,300+ sites	Mobile Service Provider

Conclusion

The transformation of Bangladesh’s telecom tower market is a pivotal move towards realizing the “Digital Bangladesh” goal. By enforcing infrastructure sharing, the BTRC has successfully attracted global expertise and significant capital into the sector, primarily through edotco, Summit, Kirtonkhola, and Frontier. These TowerCos are the core drivers of network expansion, promising greater efficiency, cost reduction for MNOs, and ultimately, faster and more widespread connectivity for the consumer, paving the way for the inevitable rollout of 5G across the nation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1. What is a Tower Company (TowerCo)?

A TowerCo is a specialized company that owns, operates, and maintains the physical telecom tower infrastructure (the steel structure, power, and ground space). They lease space on these towers to multiple Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) for installing their antennas and equipment.

Q2. Why did the Bangladesh government introduce the Tower Sharing Policy?

The policy was introduced to promote infrastructure sharing, which reduces the number of towers needed, lowers operational costs for MNOs, accelerates network expansion (especially in rural areas), and minimizes the environmental and visual impact of telecommunication infrastructure.

Q3. Are MNOs still allowed to build new towers?

No. Under the BTRC policy, the MNOs are legally restricted from building any new towers. All network expansion must be facilitated by renting capacity from one of the four licensed independent TowerCos.

Q4. What is “Co-location” or “Tenancy”?

Co-location is the practice where multiple MNOs (e.g., Grameenphone and Robi) place their mobile antennas and equipment on the same single physical tower owned by a TowerCo. This is the core revenue model of the TowerCos.

Q5. What is the biggest advantage of the TowerCo model for consumers?

The biggest advantage is better network quality and coverage. By lowering infrastructure costs for MNOs, the operators can invest more in technology upgrades (like 4G/5G equipment) and service quality, leading to faster data speeds and fewer dropped calls for the end-user.