DOCOMO to Transfer Ownership of 1,552 Telecommunication Towers to JTOWER to Promote Infrastructure Sharing

TOKYO, JAPAN, September 26, 2023 – JTOWER Inc. (“JTOWER”) and NTT DOCOMO, INC. (“DOCOMO”) announced today that they have decided to conclude a new master transaction agreement aimed at facilitating the sharing of DOCOMO’s current telecommunication tower infrastructure. This agreement will enable the ownership of an additional 1,552 DOCOMO towers to be transferred to JTOWER for the sum of 17 billion yen, with DOCOMO subsequently leasing the towers from JTOWER.

In March 2022, JTOWER and DOCOMO entered into an original master transaction agreement allowing the transfer of 6,002 of DOCOMO’s telecommunications towers to JTOWER. The addition of this new agreement will enable the two companies to strengthen their network infrastructure, allowing DOCOMO to improve its coverage; it will also enable the towers to be used for a wider range of applications, facilitating the further sharing of infrastructure.

Aims of both companies
The purchase of telecommunications towers and the enhancement of infrastructure-sharing by attracting new tenants is one of JTOWER’s key growth strategies. This transaction will greatly strengthen its business foundation as a tower sharing operator.

DOCOMO is actively working to build a viable 5G network by promoting infrastructure sharing and this transaction will enable further streamlining of its network operations.

Future initiatives
The transfer of 6,002 telecommunications towers stipulated in the master transaction agreement entered into in March 2022 is proceeding smoothly. By the end of June 2023, the transfer of approximately 2,400 towers had been completed and other mobile network operators are now being actively encouraged to make use of these.

Going forward, JTOWER and DOCOMO will continue transitioning the ownership of towers that meet the necessary criteria in order to accelerate infrastructure sharing.

Through these efforts, both companies aim to realize more efficient capital investments and lower operating expenses for tower tenants; they also plan to promote the early deployment of 5G networks. Both companies will also continue contributing to the achievement of a sustainable society, reducing the environmental impact of their infrastructure through its effective use.

About JTOWER
JTOWER was founded in 2012 as the first Infra-Sharing company in Japan. In addition to the indoor Infra-Sharing solutions that consolidate the mobile network in the buildings, JTOWER is also expanding the outdoor tower sharing solutions, such as tower sharing in suburbs and rural areas, and multi-functional poles centered on metropolitan areas. Under the corporate vision of “Infra-Sharing Services from Japan Lead the World,” JTOWER is developing a wide range of services for the future.

About NTT DOCOMO
NTT DOCOMO, Japan’s leading mobile operator with over 86 million subscriptions, is one of the world’s foremost contributors to 3G, 4G and 5G mobile network technologies. Beyond core communications services, DOCOMO is challenging new frontiers in collaboration with a growing number of entities (“+d” partners), creating exciting and convenient value-added services that change the way people live and work. Under a medium-term plan toward 2020 and beyond, DOCOMO is pioneering a leading-edge 5G network to facilitate innovative services that will amaze and inspire customers beyond their expectations.
https://www.docomo.ne.jp/english/