- Publisher Venture Insights.
- Publish Date November 13, 2020
- Sector Mobile, Mobile and Wireless Technology, Telecom.
- Company

The market for traditional macro-towers in Australia is mature. All three carriers have been expanding their tower networks only incrementally in recent years, and site growth is low. 5G will not change this significantly, because 5G base stations are being mounted on existing towers, not new ones.
Contents
Key Takeaways
The Australian mobile market – declining growth potential
Introduction
Price sensitive market
Fixed wireless opportunity – margin improvement not new revenue
No fourth operator
Evolution of the tower market
Macro tower networks
Tower sale scenarios – the scope for upside
Telstra sale
Optus sale
Growing capacity demand shifts focus to small cells
Specific small cell challenges
Can tower companies win in small cells?
Figures
Figure 1. Total mobile revenue (MBB service +handset service + handset hardware) in A$m and mobile subscribers (MBB + Handset) [‘000]
Figure 2. Consumer churn intentions, April 2020
Figure 3. Forecast 5G takeup as share of total mobile handset and mobile broadband connections
Figure 4. Expiry dates for mobile spectrum licences (in date order)
Figure 5. Australian MNO spectrum allocations in urban areas by spectrum band, 2020
Figure 6. Optus tower investment infographic, 2017
Figure 7. Proposed Telstra structure, November 2020
Figure 8. Small cell deployments in Australia
Figure 9. Projected macro tower and small cell growth in APAC
Figure 10. Fibre as percentage of capex per site, macro vs small cell deployment
Figure 11. Small cell configurations
Figure 12. Small cell capability matrix