A new study released by ITU states that the roll out of 5G will overcharge  the investment in fiber infrastructure beyond the 144 bn USD line globally in 2019. This is great fiberopticsnews. Telecom operators and telecom infrastructure are the backbone of the (internet) economy.

At the same time, it is interesting to notice that , as the release states  “Investment in broadband infrastructure is also coming from more unlikely institutions such as hedge funds or corporates that do not traditionally invest in telecoms infrastructure”. This development of affairs could be a warning signal of consolidation in the industry, where the most debt-loaded operators sell off their infrastructure to (a few) financial players worldwide. It should be monitored carefully by the industry, where the most debt-loaded operators may sell off their infrastructure to (a few) financial players worldwide. Fierce Wireless is adding fuel to the bonfire with a crucial prediction: 48% of Europe’s mobile towers to be independently owned by 2020. This evolution should be monitored carefully by the industry, investors and regulators alike.