Crown Castle buys Vodafone Group's towers

Vodafone Group has sold 140 communication towers, located across Australia, to Crown Castle Australia.

According to Roger Hawke Crown Castle’s managing director, adding the towers to its existing portfolio allows Crown to further support its customers as Crown expands its wireless networks across Australia.

“This is one of the most significant tower purchases Crown Castle has undertaken in Australia since acquiring its platform of tower assets from Cable & Wireless Optus in 2000 and Vodafone in 2001. It increases Crown's portfolio of assets by approximately 10 percent,” said Hawke.

Andy Reeves, chief technology officer at Vodafone Australia believes the sale is commercially prudent for Vodafone to outsource the ownership and management of the facilities.

“Vodafone will continue to utilise each transmission site under a leasing arrangement with Crown Castle, and use the proceeds of the sale to re-invest in its national mobile broadband network upgrade," he said.

Crown Castle has bought approximately 200 towers and rooftop interests in Australia in the last 18 months, bringing its national asset portfolio to 1,600 communication sites.

Crown Castle deploys, owns and operates technologically advanced shared wireless infrastructure.