A couple of years ago, the Russian tower market was poised to be restructured by large-scale sale and leasebacks. While those processes stalled, Russia’s independent towercos have thrived, building thousands of sites, particularly urban infill lamp posts, and more recently IBS. But as Russia gears up for the race to 5G, Rostelecom is jockeying for position as a potential 5G infrastructure and network wholesaler. Could we see a Russian equivalent of China Tower – a State-owned infrastructure company?
The Russian mobile landscape
The Russian telecoms players have been under sustained pressure from years of sanctions imposed on Russia following political disagreements over Ukraine and elsewhere.
