Viettel rolled out 1,000 towers and a fibre transmission network in Mozambique in just 10 months. The keys to rapid deployment were cash flow, support and planning, and the use of fast deployment guy-mast towers with prefabricated concrete anchor blocks; much faster to install than traditional towers relying on substantial reinforced concrete foundations. To learn more, TowerXchange spoke to Viettel’s project managers VNTower, who have also deployed or upgraded nearly 2,000 sites in Asia.
TowerXchange: Thanks for speaking to us today. Where do VNTower fit into the passive infrastructure ecosystem?
Dzung Nguyen, Director, International Business, VNTower:
I’m one of the founders of VNTower, a telecommunication infrastructure and construction service provider established as a private company in 2007. VNTower provides services such as the analysis, design and supply of masts, towers and poles; consultant resource services; construction and project management; specifications; inspection and maintenance and specially FTK (full turn key) service for the rollout of mobile networks.
VNTower has performed services on nearly 2,000 sites, including new builds, upgrades, modifications, and strengthening. We moved into tower fabrication with some good steel factory partners in Vietnam and China enabling us to deliver volume orders rapidly and at a competitive price.
We’ve recently been focusing on fast deployment tower solutions, both self supporting up to 45m and 60m guy-masts that can be installed within one week, including foundations, tower erection, fence, equipment and accessories.
VNTower is a certified supplier to Ericsson Corporation, and we’ve been focused on the Asian market; Vietnam, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, and looking at Myanmar. And we’ve project managed Viettel’s rollout in Mozambique.
TowerXchange: Please tell us some of your clients and project experience?
Dzung Nguyen, Director, International Business, VNTower:
Ericsson Vietnam needed 200 towers in three to four months for sites with limited land leasing area – many of the towers were in cities. We provided 45m fast deployment towers, a self supporting tower that can carry 2 microwave 1.2m and 9 radio antennae. These towers are pre-fabricated in our factory. On the first day, the tower and all accessories can be delivered in one truck. On the second day the team installs the steel beams of foundation. On the third and fourth days the tower and accessories will be done. On the fifth day we pour the concrete inside the beams of the foundation. Grounding, fencing, BTS and power connection will be finished on the sixth and seventh days. It’s that quick to install.
In the unlikely event that the site has problems with the landlord, land permissions or village protests, it’s easy to move – designed for a “quick runaway”.
In another example, Papua New Guinea requested 30m towers light enough for helicopter delivery. We designed a solution that didn’t use concrete to minimise weight. In that instance we were able to finish towers in three days.
TowerXchange: Tell us about your work with Viettel in Mozambique.
Dzung Nguyen, Director, International Business, VNTower:
We have provided Viettel with management services, including setting up their rollout schedule and rollout plan in Mozambique. We sent highly skilled engineers and project managers there for one year.
As the third licensed operator in Mozambique, Viettel’s challenge was to build coverage by rolling out as quickly as possible. With our help Viettel was able to install 1,000 sites in just ten months. Delivery was very fast. We worked with them to prepare the plan; targeting the number of towers rolled out per month, building the tower team. We divided the country into several regions, allocated skilled people to each region, and trained the team on the ground. We prepared various procurement and quality templates and checklists. The key to success was buying at a very competitive price, using a good supplier system. Cash was not a problem as Viettel is government owned.
Transportation was not a problem because all the towers were close to highways, so delivery was easy. The tower designs mixed traditional mast towers with guy-masts, the pre-fabricated anchor blocks of which were made in our factory. Guy-mast towers are fast to deploy because most of the installation time is usually taken up with foundations.
Guy-mast towers are much cheaper than self-support towers. They’re also much faster to install because self-support towers take a long time to complete the foundation block. Viettel try to offset costs by using guy-masts as much as possible, but they need more space. However, they can be up to 60m high, which is good for coverage.
TowerXchange: What are the safety and quality standards you use?
Dzung Nguyen, Director, International Business, VNTower:
Our towers are manufactured to international quality standards: ISO standards and environment standards, while our materials follow international standards set by Ericsson and our operator partners. On the tower erection side of the business, we use climbing and health certification, relevant safety equipment such as harnesses, safety belt, and ensure working conditions and times of working follow international standards.
