Reliance Jio signs agreement to use Viom Networks’ 42,000 towers

Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd (RJIL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL), has signed a master agreement with Viom Networks to use its more than 42,000 telecom towers across the country.

"This agreement is in line with our mission of a pan-India launch spanning next-generation voice and data services and leveraging existing telecom infrastructure,'' said Sanjay Mashruwala, managing director of RJIL.

''We look forward to partnering with Viom Networks for rolling out services across the country," he added.

Reliance Jio holds pan-India unified license and is currently building a network to offer next generation high-speed data services.

It believes that the Indian market is highly underserviced.

''From a conventional tower company, we are transforming ourselves as an innovation-driven, data-centric infra solutions provider,'' said Syed Safawi, CEO, Viom Networks.

''We are delighted to partner with Reliance Jio and offer our countrywide network infrastructure. Our consistent delivery of high network up time, on-time reliable project delivery capability, and optimal operation and a maintenance cost offer a great value package,'' he added.

Viom Networks, a Tata Teleservices and SREI Infrastructure joint venture, is India's largest independent telecommunications infrastructure company.

The company has more than 90,000 tenancies on 40,000 towers across the country.

Earlier this month RJIL had entered into a similar agreement with Bharti Infratel as the company gears to roll out 4G services (See: Reliance Jio and Bharti Infratel sign deal to share tower infrastructure).

Under the agreement, RJIL would utilise the telecom tower infrastructure of Bharti Infratel to launch its services across the country.

''This agreement is in line with our earlier comprehensive telecom infrastructure sharing arrangement with Bharti Airtel aimed at avoiding duplication of infrastructure, wherever possible and to preserve capital and the environment. The agreement will help us with the faster roll out of our services across the country,'' said Sanjay Mashruwala, managing director at Reliance Jio.

RJIL had earlier signed a similar agreement with Reliance Communications for utilising up to 45,000 ground- and rooftop towers for its 4G services roll out.

The agreement provides for joint working arrangements to configure the scope of additional towers to be built at new locations to ensure deep penetration and seamless delivery of next generation services.

This agreement follows the inter-city optic fibre sharing agreement already signed in April 2013 as part of a comprehensive framework of business co-operation between Reliance Jio Infocomm and Reliance Communications.

In February, RJIL won spectrum in the 1800 MHz brand across 14 circles for Rs 11,054 crore, which the company intends to use for digital services and enhance in-building coverage.

RJIL had earlier won spectrum across several circles, even though it is yet to officially announce the date of service roll out.