This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on March 2, 2026 - March 8, 2026

Now more than ever, bread-and-butter architecture is no longer adequate to ensure a project ticks all the boxes. Digital connectivity infrastructure, which refers to the technology and equipment that support digital operations and services such as Internet of Things (IoT) management and cloud operations, is increasingly becoming a must-have component.

Explaining this evolution, EdgePoint Towers Sdn Bhd chief operating officer Ravin Vickneswaran says just as developers plan precisely where power cables and sewage go, the same attention should be given to connectivity infrastructure such as ancillary towers, fibre optic cables and antennas.

“[These structures] should be planned alongside utilities like power substations, water pipes and sewage systems. They should be treated as a core utility.”

EdgePoint Towers, which is part of the larger EdgePoint Infrastructure Sdn Bhd, is a telecommunications tower infrastructure company, specialising in building and leasing shareable, fibre-integrated and modern telecom structures.

The group currently operates about 16,000 sites in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia.

One of the main drivers of the growing need for connectivity infrastructure, he says, was the Covid-19 pandemic, which accelerated the usage of digital payments, online services and hybrid work.

Apart from that, Ravin says industry data indicates that around 80% of mobile data is generated indoors and that with 5G rollout accelerating, there is growing emphasis on indoor connectivity infrastructure.

Ravin says unlike in the past, connectivity infrastructure can no longer be deployed reactively. He adds that the company relies on artificial intelligence-driven predictive analytics and live usage data before approaching both developers and mobile network operators.

“Our main objective is to build infrastructure that supports all mobile network operators. We act as a single neutral host. Whatever we build is designed for all mobile network operators to utilise.”

He says EdgePoint Towers puts in the capital expenditure, designs and builds the infrastructure, and then leases it to mobile network operators on long-term agreements.

Similar to how much technology has improved, Ravin points out that the infrastructure has also evolved to become more aesthetically pleasing.

“We show developers that it doesn’t have to be a large tower like those along highways in the past. There are more aesthetically pleasing designs. If we engage early, we can integrate lamp posts with their street designs or even disguise sites as trees. The better you plan, the less steel you use, which helps with ESG (environmental, social and governance) goals and reduces the carbon footprint.

“Compared with 20 or 30 years ago, sites are much more compact. Previously, they had large cabins and access areas. Today, with technological advancements, footprints are much smaller. Coverage is expected everywhere, even in lifts, toilets and car parks. With smart and contactless payments, connectivity is no longer optional; it’s a necessity.”

At early-stage master planning, Ravin says predictive models simulate expected demand based on density, building type, surrounding coverage and projected traffic movement.

From there, he says planners determine whether a development requires outdoor towers, in-building systems, small cells or a combination of solutions.

They then break down what services are required for each development type.

Landed residential areas typically rely more on outdoor infrastructure such as towers, monopoles and street-level sites.

“When you move to high-rise residential towers, apartments or office buildings, the focus shifts to in-building systems and small cells. Transportation hubs are another major segment, where indoor coverage becomes critical.

“Sports arenas and stadiums are especially technology-intensive. Modern venues support app-based services like live replays, digital ticketing and online purchases, so the connectivity demand is significantly higher.”

Ravin elaborates that stadiums present unique planning challenges because traffic fluctuates before and after an event.

“Capacity needs to shift accordingly so it’s not just about technology but understanding crowd movement and behaviour. That’s why we deploy hybrid solutions, a combination of outdoor antennas and indoor systems. Antennas can even be mounted on stadium lighting structures to cover the field.”

For one-off events with sudden traffic spikes, there is a service called Cell on Wheels, which is a mobile coverage vehicle brought in to temporarily boost capacity.

For integrated and mixed-use developments, Ravin says planning involves deciding where equipment rooms should be located and ensuring there are sufficient risers for cable routing.

“Malls, food courts and convention centres often need additional small cells because of concentrated traffic. Car parks, increasingly, also require coverage, especially with digital payments and security needs.”

For townships, Ravin says a macro site with towers provides the initial blanket of coverage. As the development grows, additional infill sites are added to handle higher usage. He points out that what was once an area serving a few hundred people can quickly see thousands in a smaller space, hence the need for stronger coverage.

As for large factories and industrial facilities, he explains that they sometimes want dedicated networks for security and guaranteed service levels.

“In manufacturing environments, machines communicate with each other constantly. Cameras inspect products in milliseconds. These companies may require 99.99% SLA (Service Level Agreement) reliability, which is harder to guarantee on a shared public network.”

In terms of costs, Ravin says outdoor monopoles are about RM100,000 to RM150,000 and above, depending on land and power requirements. In-building systems start at around RM500,000 for smaller buildings and go up to several million ringgit for large-scale developments.

“These costs are typically absorbed within our investment model and recovered through operator leasing, rather than being passed directly to buyers.”

Ravin says while developers are becoming more aware, there is still room for connectivity planning to improve.

He cites an example of a development that did it right from the beginning. “We worked with Sunway Square [mall in Bandar Sunway] two years in advance [and] our work started even during the construction period itself.”

It is best to plan connectivity infrastructure at the blueprint stage, before planning approvals are submitted, he elaborates.

“Once it’s approved, changes are difficult, and once a building is operational, retrofitting becomes disruptive, time-consuming and more expensive.

“For example, retrofitting a mall after it has opened means working overnight, running visible cables or compromising on design. In hospitals, it’s even more challenging because operations run 24/7. If ducting and risers are planned early, even if full deployment happens later, the infrastructure pathway is already prepared. This saves time, cost and disruption,” he adds.

Ravin says EdgePoint Towers has worked on developments such as Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Square, Sunway Medical Centre, The Exchange TRX, the transformation of the former Wisma KFC into Hyatt Regency Kuala Lumpur, and One Shell Square Miri in Sarawak.

“Currently, we are working on 50 to 60 ongoing 5G in-building projects across hospitals, malls, hotels and offices.”

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