How Advanced Tools for Choosing Between Build to Suit (BTS) and Build to Fit (BTF) Strategies Empower TowerCos to Drive Value for MNOs

In today’s competitive telecom landscape, TowerCos need to be more than passive infrastructure providers. They must become proactive partners who help Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) address critical coverage gaps and meet the growing demands of their customers. In doing so, TowerCos are constantly weighing the benefits of Build to Fit and Build to Suit scenarios. The ideal approach maximizes value for MNOs—securing long-term leasing agreements—while minimizing costs wherever possible. Identifying these opportunities and striking the right balance between customization and cost-efficiency is essential for building stronger relationships and creating compelling value propositions for MNOs

This is where advanced and AI-driven tools come into play. These tools empower TowerCos by enabling them to visualize different polygons for each MNO and application type—whether it’s voice calls, streaming, or data use—and assess how the signal strength from various sites propagates. With this visualization, TowerCos can pinpoint specific areas with a lack of sufficient coverage, network degradation situations, or underserved locations that are critical to MNO clients.

But the benefits don’t stop there. TowerCos can also analyze the coverage area of each site based on the currently deployed frequencies, helping to identify where improved coverage is needed or where additional cells should be added to new or existing towers. This insight leads directly to accurately choosing between Build to Suit (BTS) or Build to Fit (BTF) strategies, ensuring that TowerCo identifies optimal site locations to offer MNO. This approach not only aligns perfectly with the MNOs' technical requirements but also generates better business results for TowerCo.

Take Flycomm as an example. Through its easy-to-use software platform, TowerCos can analyze network coverage by technology, carrier, and application, allowing to offer data-driven solutions to MNOs. These capabilities empower TowerCos to identify new business opportunities and determine the most suitable locations for collocation, tailor deployment strategies, and ultimately achieve superior business outcomes.

An important feature TowerCos are increasingly seeking is the ability to replace traditional drive tests with a more efficient method for collecting accurate data, particularly in sensitive locations where crowdsourced data falls short. Crowdsourced data, while valuable, can often lack the precision needed for effective planning due to several factors. For example, data may be collected in varying environments—indoor or outdoor—which can significantly affect coverage accuracy. Additionally, historical data may not reflect the current network conditions, leading to biased analysis. In these cases, a TowerCo may require a tool that enables quickly and easily gathering precise, targeted data, ensuring their decisions are based on accurate and up-to-date information. This capability is crucial for refining their offerings and delivering optimal solutions to MNOs.

By leveraging these insights, TowerCos become better positioned to offer value-added services to MNOs, helping them close critical coverage gaps and optimize network performance. This proactive, data-driven approach enhances their role in the telecom ecosystem and drives better results for TowerCo and MNO.

In short, the ability to identify preferred site locations and offer solutions based on real and accurate data transforms TowerCos into strategic partners—helping them achieve outstanding business success while aligning more closely with the needs of MNOs