Risks in Deploying Mobile Telecom Sites

The telecom industry is one of the fastest-growing industries worldwide. Such development has created new activities that overlap with other industries, e.g., construction. This paper investigates the risks in mobile telecom projects in Egypt, where the authors work or have previously worked, and how they differ as per the prime project's type and characteristics. While most telecom sites have a similar construction sequence, i.e., from site acquisition to broadcasting the services, they still differ in their characteristics. Following an extensive literature review and interviews with various stakeholders in the telecom site deployment process, four project types were identified. Each was recognized to have special characteristics that influence the risks that could arise in this particular type. Questionnaire surveys were prepared and disseminated to examine the risks in the four types and the severity recognized in each. A comparison is made to identify the similarities and differences. A critical discussion follows to clarify the results.