The regulation of the telecom tower industry might politely be described as a work in progress. In some countries, government appetite to attract investment into Digital Infrastructure and the Digital Economy translates into policies that attract network investment by MNOs and towercos alike, but well-intentioned policies often backfire due to the challenges enforcing policy and change at the municipal level. Indeed, it can feel like the dialogue between stakeholders in permitting and rights of way at a municipal level is the front lines of the tower industry – particularly in CALA where a significant proportion of cell sites are not fully permitted.
