Irrawaddy Green Towers – Telecom infrastructure in Myanmar

OVERVIEW

Industry: Energy

Website: https://igt.com.mm

Some figures - 2014

• 1.500 towers to build and rent

• 65 million dollar investment over 6 months.

• Effective implementation project duration: 10 months.

Introduction: Irrawaddy Green Tower (IGT) is a telecommunications infrastructure provider, established in Myanmar in early 2014 when the country opened its economy and major international telecom operators began their operations.

Business Operations

• IGT constructs telecommunication towers, installs antennas, and provides infrastructure rental services to mobile network operators.

• The company focuses on delivering shared passive infrastructure along with optimized energy solutions, ensuring efficient and stable telecom operations.

• Unlike many existing tower companies in Myanmar, IGT offers a comprehensive energy solution, providing operators with more flexible options and reduced operational costs.

Workforce & Management Team

• IGT currently has over 275 employees, including both Myanmar nationals and foreign experts.

• The board of directors and founders are citizens of Canada, India, and the United States.

Areas of Operation

• Telecommunication Infrastructure: Construction and operation of telecommunication towers.

• Energy Solutions: Providing power systems to support telecom sites.

Global Experience & Impact

• The IGT team has deployed over 100,000 telecommunication towers worldwide, in countries such as Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Canada, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Azerbaijan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Mexico.

• In addition to construction, IGT has extensive experience in managing tens of thousands of telecom towers and energy systems across various nations.

With a strong foundation and a commitment to delivering optimal solutions, Irrawaddy Green Tower continues to establish itself as one of the leading telecom tower companies in Myanmar and the region.

IGT does not directly provide telecommunications services to end users but focuses on building and leasing infrastructure to mobile network operators. Therefore, it is classified as a TowerCo (Tower Company) – a specialized business model within the telecommunications industry.

1. Rapid Growth Context of IGT

From the very beginning, the company set a rapid growth trajectory, similar to a startup but on an unusually large scale. Within just a few months, the workforce expanded dramatically, putting significant pressure on management and operations. Launching projects from day one made things even more challenging, as the company had to keep running while simultaneously building its management system from scratch. Such fast growth required processes to not only be established but also continuously adjusted to keep up with reality. Without a well-structured system, the company risked becoming overwhelmed, losing control over timelines and costs. To optimize operations, IGT aimed to standardize processes and implement a comprehensive management software, ensuring flexibility, transparency, and long-term growth.

2. Challenges Before Establishing a Comprehensive Management System

2.1. Lack of Integration Between Business Systems

IGT interacts with two main business applications:

• Tarantula (for construction management)

• RMS (for energy consumption monitoring)

The previous lack of integration between these systems and the company’s overall operational processes led to:

• Data inconsistency, making it difficult to track project progress.

• Delays in reporting and decision-making processes, increasing the risk of errors.

2.2. Limitations in Standard ERP Modules

Before customizing and implementing ERP, IGT faced difficulties in managing specific modules:

• Procurement: Lack of transparency in demand identification, leading to delivery delays.

• Warehouse Management: Inefficient asset management, causing synchronization issues among partners.

• Human Resources & Payroll: Rapid workforce expansion complicated payroll processing and HR policy management.

• Accounting: Limited automation of cash flow and cost control per project.

2.3. Managing Framework Contracts and Cost Calculation per Rental Station

IGT's revenue is based on complex framework contracts, but previously, there was no automated system for revenue calculation and invoicing. This led to:

• Time-consuming calculations, increasing the risk of data discrepancies.

• Difficulty in reconciling revenue and costs.
  
  

 To address these challenges, IGT is developing a dedicated management platform for the telecommunications tower leasing business, with a structured approach:

1. Business Process Definition and ERP Implementation

• Defining business workflows to standardize operations.

• Implementing a customized ERP system tailored to IGT’s needs.

• Providing user training and ongoing support to enhance adoption and efficiency.

• Scaling the organization from 10 to 350 employees within one year through process optimization and automation.

2. Integration with Key Business Applications

• Establishing seamless interfaces with Tarantula (construction management) and RMS (energy consumption monitoring).

• Ensuring real-time data synchronization to improve decision-making and operational oversight.

3. Customization of Standard ERP Modules

To align with IGT’s specific business requirements, the following ERP modules are being customized:

• Procurement: Implementing automated workflows to enhance transparency and efficiency.

• Inventory Management: Developing a robust tracking system to optimize asset utilization and availability.

• Human Resources & Payroll: Introducing automated payroll processing and HR analytics to support workforce expansion.

• Accounting: Enhancing financial reporting and cash flow automation to improve cost control and budget management.

4. Implementation of Specialized Modules

To support IGT’s business model, additional ERP modules are being developed:

• Customer Billing: Automating invoicing based on complex framework contracts to ensure accuracy and timely revenue recognition.

• Maintenance Management: Establishing preventive and corrective maintenance workflows to maximize tower uptime.

• Rental Management: Streamlining lease agreements and tenant tracking to improve revenue management.

• Cost Accounting Per Tower: Implementing detailed cost tracking per tower for precise profitability analysis and financial control.

By implementing these solutions, IGT is positioning itself for sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and improved financial oversight, ensuring the ability to scale rapidly while maintaining full control over its expanding business operations.

Main Features & Customization

• Interface with 2 business applications: Tarantula (construction management) and RMS (energy consumption monitoring)

• Standard ERP bricks customization: purchases, inventory, human resources, payroll, accounting

• Implementation of specific modules for customer billing based on complex framework contracts; maintenance management, rental management

• Cost accounting per tower