The Impact of Shared Telecom Infrastructure on Digital Connectivity and Inclusion

Georges Vivien Houngbonon, Marc Ivaldi, Emil Palikot and Davide Strusani

No 23-1427, TSE Working Papers from Toulouse School of Economics (TSE)

Abstract: Nearly half the world remains offline, and capital scarcity stalls new network buildouts. Sharing existing mobile towers could accelerate connectivity. We assemble data on 107 towersharing deals in 28 low-income countries (2008–20) and estimate staggered difference-in-differences effects. Two years after a transaction covering over 1,000 towers, the PPP-adjusted mobile-price index falls $1.60 (s.e.1.10) from a baseline of $3.16, while data prices drop $1.00 (0.29), baseline $3.41/GB. The number of mobile connections increases. Rural internet access increases by 4.7 pp and female-headed households by 3.6 pp. Tower-sharing agreements increase product market competition as measured by Herfindahl–Hirschman Index.

Keywords: Mobile Telecommunications; Vertical Integration; Digital Technology Adoption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L14 L96 O14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023-04, Revised 2025-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ict, nep-pay and nep-reg
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