Telecom towers require Rs 2-3 lakh cr per annum for maintenance, says BSNL chairman

Telecom towers, which transmit signals that help make voice calls and help access the internet on mobile phones, require an estimated Rs 2-3 lakh crore per annum to maintain, the head of state-owned BSNL said on Tuesday as he called for technological solutions for bringing down cost.

Speaking at ‘Driving India’s Techade: D2M for Bharat – 5G Broadcast Summit’, BSNL chairman and managing director Pravin Kumar Purvar said even direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcasting, which transmits multimedia content to consumers’ smartphones without requiring an active internet connection using a technology that is employed for issuing emergency alerts and assisting in disaster management – too would require towers.