Firm to fit telecom towers with air monitors

China Tower Corp, a joint venture established to handle the tower assets for China's top three telecom carriers, is in discussions to install air monitors and surveillance cameras on its towers.

The move, which the company said will diversify its business and be a more efficient use of resources, comes amid expectations that the number of telecom towers will surge over the next couple of years when consumer demand spikes for faster Internet speeds and better call quality.

"In the near future, the density of telecom towers will be higher in cities. With access to both wired and mobile networks, our towers are in a good position ... to be equipped with air monitors, surveillance cameras and satellite receivers," said Tong Jilu, general manager of China Tower.

The State-owned company currently has more than 1.5 million telecom towers across the country after its shareholders－China Mobile Communications Corp, China United Network Communications Group Co Ltd and China Telecommunications Corp－injected 203.5 billion yuan ($30.8 billion) worth of telecom tower assets into it.

The company was established in 2014 when the three telecom carriers pooled their assets to avoid overlap in the construction of towers. China Tower is now utilizing its towers to branch into new areas of business.

"The demand for telecom towers often sees drastic ups and downs because of industry cycles. When 5G communication technology arrives, for instance, it will boost demand. But once it reaches saturation, there will be few businesses," Tong said.