GTL Infrastructure Limited (GIL) is an independent Telecom Tower Company. The Company provides passive infrastructure on shared basis for telecom operators to host their active network components. Together with Chennai Network Infrastructure Limited (CNIL), an associate, the Company has a combined tower portfolio of 27,839 towers spread across all the 22 telecom circles in India, and serving most major telecom operators. The Company was promoted by GTL Limited.
GTL Infrastructure Limited was incorporated on February 4, 2004, as 'GTL Engineering & Managed Network Services Limited'. In February, 2005, the name was changed to GTL Infrastructure Limited. The infrastructure division of the GTL Ltd was demerged and transferred to the company with effect from October 1, 2005. The Company is in the business of passive infrastructure sharing which is based on building, owning, operating and maintaining passive telecom infrastructure sites capable of hosting active network components of various technologies of multiple telecom operators as well providing energy management solutions.
During the year 2005-06, the company acquired Network Infrastructure assets of GTL Ltd comprising of Network Operating Centre and associated equipment and applications for a cash consideration of Rs 214.59 crore. In November 9, 2006 GTL Infrastructure Ltd was listed on BSE and NSE and became the first company in Asia Pacific to get listed in the Shared Telecom Infrastructure space.
During the year 2006-07, the company signed Master Services Agreement (MSA) with two national levels and one regional level operator for a contracts period of 10-15 years. Also, they bagged 421 cell sites from the Universal Service Obligation (USO) tender, thus emerging as the No 1 player amongst third party neutral shared telecom Infrastructure companies.
In November 2007, the company signed an MoU with IDFC Project Equity Company Ltd to form a special purpose vehicle that shall address the Telecom Tower Infrstructure acquisition opportunities.
The company was awarded the 'Top Independent Infrastructure Provider' Award by Voice and Data, a leading Telecom publication in the year 2007. They received 'The Best Shared Infrastructure Provider' Award by Tele.net in February 2008. Also, they won the prestigious 'Innovative Infrastructure of the Year' by CNBC TV18 for pioneering the concept of Shared Passive Telecom Infrastructure in the Indian wireless market.
During the year 2009-10, Tower Worldwide Ltd ceased to the subsidiary of the company. In January 2010, the company entered into a definite agreement to puchase the telecom tower business of Aircel Ltd and their subsidiaries through a special purpose vehicle (SPV), Chennai Network Infrastructure Ltd in an all cash deal valued at an enterprices value of Rs 8,400 crore.
In June 2010, the Company through its subsidiary CNIL acquired a tower portfolio of 17,500 towers from Aircel Limited and its subsidiaries. Aircel's tower portfolio was acquired at an enterprise value costing Rs 8,026 Crore. Aircel entered into an agreement with CNIL for using the towers for its operations and committed 20,000 tenancies over a period of three years, which CNIL can meet using the existing tower portfolio of CNIL or the tower portfolio of the Company or by using tower portfolio of other tower providers. On July 22, 2011, the Hon'ble Bombay High Court sanctioned the merger and the Appointed Date of the merger is August 1, 2010.
Chennai Network Infrastructure Limited (CNIL), promoted by Global Group, became subsidiary of the Company during FY 2010-11.
Chennai Network Infrastructure Limited (CNIL) ceased to be a subsidiary of the Company with effect from December 20, 2012.
During FY 2022-23, Chennai Network Infrastructure Limited (CNIL) was merged with Company through the Scheme of Arrangement, which became operational from December 22, 2017. Pursuant to the Scheme, Shareholders of CNIL received for each equity share held by them with one equity share of face value of Rs 10 each in the Company. Accordingly, the Company allotted 7,588,819,117 equity shares of Rs 10 each to shareholders of CNIL.