In an increasingly competitive telecommunications market, ISPs, mobile operators and OTT providers face the challenge of rapidly expanding their services while controlling costs and maintaining quality. The answer to this dilemma lies in a model that is transforming the industry: infrastructure neutral communications (InfraCo) powered by advanced automation. According to McKinsey, this infrastructure sharing approach can reduce CAPEX by 15-40% and OPEX by 10-25%, while significantly accelerating the time-to-market of new services.
An InfraCo is a specialized provider that builds, operates and maintains telecommunications infrastructure in a carrier-neutral manner, allowing multiple carriers, ISPs and OTTs to use it simultaneously. Think of it as the telecom equivalent of a shared industrial park: world-class infrastructure available to all, without the need for each company to build its own.
The strategic value:
InfraCo's are adopting some automation technologies that radically transform how connectivity services can be consumed and managed, among them:
Instant provisioning via SDN With software-defined networking, new circuits can be requested or bandwidths can be changed via a web portal or API. What used to require weeks of coordination and technical visits can now happen in minutes. For an ISP expanding into a new city, this means being able to activate services the same day it closes a contract with a business customer.
Unprecedented flexibility with NFV Virtualization of network functions allows services such as firewalls, load balancers or WAN optimizers to be activated without additional hardware. A mobile operator can scale up its firewall capacity during a mass event and scale down afterwards, paying only for peak usage hours.
Zero-Touch Provisioning for speed and accuracy Automatic activation eliminates human error and accelerates mass deployments. When an OTT needs to expand its CDN to 50 new locations, each point auto-configures itself as it connects, reducing deployment from months to days.
Real-time visibility and control Intelligent dashboards and APIs give you full control over your shared infrastructure. Monitor performance, adjust capacities and receive predictive alerts, all from your NOC without the need to manage the physical infrastructure.
According to industry data, mobile operators sharing active infrastructure can achieve combined CAPEX and OPEX savings in the range of 30-40%.
Challenge: "We need to grow fast but CAPEX is prohibitive".
Solution: Pay-as-you-go model that converts multi-million dollar investments into predictable operating costs
Result: Freeing up capital to invest in customer acquisition and service development
Challenge: "Procurement lead times are causing us to miss opportunities".
Solution: Automated activation that reduces weeks to hours
Result: Ability to respond to RFPs and close business that was previously lost due to lead times.
Challenge: "Technical complexity diverts resources away from innovation".
Solution: Simplified management through portals and APIs
Result: Your technical team focused on creating value, not maintaining infrastructure.
Challenge: "We need national presence but it is too costly".
Solution: National network already deployed and ready to use
Result: Instant coverage without construction investment
To get the most out of an automated InfraCo, it is important to understand the key technologies:
Not all InfraCo's are the same. When evaluating options, consider:
Level of automation
Are the APIs well documented and stable?
How quicklycan you provision new services?
Coverage and capacity
Presence in your current and future target markets
Redundancy and alternative routes
Ability to upgrade without interruption
Business model
Flexibility in contracts (avoid rigid long-term commitments)
Transparent pricing
Pay-as-you-go options vs. dedicated capacity
Support and SLAs
24x7 availability in your language
SLAs that support your customer commitments
Clear escalation procedures
Technology roadmap
Plans for evolution to 5G, edge computing, network slicing
Continuous investment in automation
Openness to co-innovation
Industry trends are clear:
By 2027, McKinsey projects that 5G B2B revenue will reach $116.7 billion, growing at an annual rate of 17%
Distributed edge computing will be unaffordable without shared models
Network sharing in 5G: McKinsey says three operators sharing small cell infrastructure can save up to 50% each
Environmental sustainability will demand resource optimization through sharing
Organizations that adopt automated InfraCo models today will be better positioned to:
Next steps to transformation
Assess current situation
Define your priorities
Explore options
Plan the transition
The transformation to automated InfraCo models is not just a technology trend, it is a strategic decision that defines future competitiveness in telecommunications. Organizations that understand and act on this opportunity will be better equipped to serve their customers, grow sustainably and lead in the digital economy.
About InterNexa
InterNexa is an ISA Group company with more than 25 years of experience operating neutral telecommunications infrastructure in Colombia and Peru. Our network connects cities and enables the digital growth of ISPs, operators and OTTs in the region. For more perspectives on the future of telecommunications, visit blog.internexa.com.
References and sources consulted: