“It's a double-edged sword,” Hillabrant said at the 2025 TowerXchange Europe Meetup today [23 April 2024].
“We need to start with the hypothesis that a healthy market consists of strong mobile operators,” he said.
“Hopefully, more operators will become structured and sustainable. In the UK, for example, consolidation could result in a healthier mix of operators, with stable pricing and profitable companies. That’s a win for the industry and a win for the tower industry.”
Meanwhile, according to Hillabrant, who has been with the tower giant since 2023, to stay relevant, towerco’s need to “remain cost-effective and efficient”.
He also revealed that the company, 50% owned by Vodafone, has seen slower-than-expected uptake in some markets, with rollout progress falling short of expectations.
“We don’t need to build a whole new tower or rooftop for a single mobile operator. Maybe just a small-cell solution in rural areas where native RAN setups are required-built as cost-effectively as possible.”
He concludes: “Think about what we tower operators do: we build facilities that support and enable multiple operators on one site. So, we look at consolidation as an opportunity,”
His comments come amid renewed calls for industry mergers. Earlier this year, Telefónica’s Chairman and CEO, Marc Murta, urged European telecom firms to consolidate to remain competitive.
“It is time for large European telecom companies to be allowed to consolidate and grow to create technological capacity,” Murta said.
“This decision would be key for the future of Europe and would generate favourable effects for society. This can strengthen European strategic autonomy, unlock productivity, and improve ordinary people’s lives.”
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