Highline
Highline is a São Paulo-based independent (neutral-host) telecom infrastructure operator that owns and leases shared towers, rooftops, small cells, indoor DAS, and off-grid solar sites to mobile network operators across all 27 Brazilian states, with over 7,500 operational sites.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSão Paulo, Brazil
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Highline does
Highline is a São Paulo-based, independent (neutral host) shared telecommunications infrastructure developer founded in 2012 and controlled by Digital Bridge alongside co-investors AIMCo, Allianz, and the IFC. The company owns and operates physical telecom infrastructure — towers, rooftop installations, street-level small cells, indoor Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS), and camouflaged "biosite" structures, including off-grid solar-powered sites for unelectrified remote areas — and rents space on this infrastructure to mobile network operators (MNOs) and other customers under long-term, multi-tenant lease arrangements. By December 2025 Highline operated more than 7,500 sites across 1,800+ municipalities in all 27 Brazilian states, with 40% of sites hosting more than one operator and an additional 90,000+ real-estate partnership points available for build-out. Its core products span four solution categories: Outdoor Greenfield (ground-based towers, poles, camouflaged biosites, underground and off-grid solar variants), Outdoor Rooftop (building-mounted urban densification), Street Level (small cells for capacity hotspots), and Indoor (DAS for venues such as airports, stadiums, shopping centers, and hospitals).
Highline generates revenue primarily through recurring tower and site rental fees paid by telecom operators for antenna installation on shared infrastructure, supplemented by contract-based network infrastructure construction services (e.g., 4G/5G corridor and highway deployments). The GTM motion is sales-led B2B, with direct enterprise relationships to Brazilian MNOs such as TIM Brasil, Oi, and regional 5G license winners like iez! telecom. Co-located infrastructure economics (40% of sites multi-tenant) drive margin leverage, while off-grid solar and biosite capabilities address differentiation versus pure tower operators. Verticals served beyond MNOs include highways, agriculture, shopping centers, commercial buildings, stadiums, airports, hospitals, hotels, private networks, and B2B enterprise customers.
Growth has been almost entirely acquisitive. Highline began with roughly 300 towers in 2019 and scaled by acquiring 2,500 towers from Phoenix Tower do Brasil (2020), 859 mobile towers and 850 UPI sites from Oi (2020-2021), 8,000 fixed-network towers from Oi via SPE Torres 2 / NK 108 (2024, R$ 905M in a sale-leaseback where Oi became the tenant), approximately 100 sites from Global Sites (March 2025, R$ 55M), and Internet Management Services in the United States (July 2024). Funding has come from Digital Bridge and co-investor equity, plus a BRL 2.3 billion debenture issued in 2024 and R$ 65 million in BNDES-administered Fust (Universal Service Fund) financing in 2024 for 181 rural/urban 4G/5G towers across 23 states.
Highline firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Highline
- Legal name
- Highline
- Website
- https://highline.com.br
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Highline is a São Paulo-based independent (neutral-host) telecom infrastructure operator that owns and leases shared towers, rooftops, small cells, indoor DAS, and off-grid solar sites to mobile network operators across all 27 Brazilian states, with over 7,500 operational sites.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Highline industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Telecom Infrastructure Services
- NAICS
- Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction (237130), Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction (23713)
- SIC
- Communications Services, Nec (4899), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Tower Operations & Maintenance (Field Services) (HDAIAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Structural & Civil Engineering for Sites (Design, Reinforcement, Foundations) (HDAIAKAI), Neutral Host & In‑Building Connectivity (DAS/Small Cells) (HDAIAGAC), Tower Upgrades & Structural Reinforcement (Height Extensions, Mods, Mounts) (IMAFAIAD)
Keywords
Where Highline is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- São Paulo
- HQ country
- Brazil
- HQ region
- Latin America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Highline business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Tower and Site Rental: Highline owns and operates telecommunications infrastructure (towers, rooftops, street-level installations) and rents space to mobile network operators for antenna installation. This is a recurring revenue model based on long-term lease contracts with multiple tenants per site.
- Network Infrastructure Construction: Highline builds custom network infrastructure under contract for telecom operators, including 4G and 5G deployments in specific regions or corridors such as highways.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Highline product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Highline is an independent (neutral-host) shared telecommunications infrastructure developer that builds, acquires, owns, and operates physical network sites — including ground-based towers, rooftop installations, street-level small cells, and indoor DAS systems — and rents space on these sites to mobile network operators for antenna deployment. The company serves telecom operators across Brazil with a recurring long-term lease model, supplemented by custom network construction contracts for 4G and 5G rollouts in specific regions and corridors.
Product overview
Highline is an independent shared telecommunications infrastructure developer offering a unified portfolio of four interconnected tower infrastructure solutions: Outdoor Greenfield (ground-based towers including self-supporting, pole, biosite, underground, guyed, and off-grid solar variants), Outdoor Rooftop (building-mounted structures for urban densification), Street Level (small cell solutions for high-traffic areas), and Indoor (DAS-based solutions for enclosed venues). The company operates more than 7,500 sites across 1,800+ municipalities in all 27 Brazilian states, providing neutral host infrastructure where telecom operators install their antennas. Highline also offers over 90,000 available partnership points for digital infrastructure installation across Brazil.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Biosite: A camouflaged cell phone antenna with a pole-like appearance, designed to blend into surroundings such as historic districts, developed for TIM and other operators to expand voice and data coverage with minimal visual impact.
Products and services
- Outdoor Greenfield Ground-based telecom tower infrastructure solutions including self-supporting towers, poles, guyed towers, camouflaged biosites, underground installations, and off-grid solar-powered systems designed for remote coverage without grid access. Intended for mobile network operators needing greenfield site deployment.
- Outdoor Rooftop Building-mounted telecom structures including camouflaged units, cavaletes, masts, and facade-mounted antenna solutions for urban densification where ground construction is not feasible. Intended for mobile network operators requiring rooftop antenna deployments in dense urban areas.
- Street Level Small cell and street-level infrastructure solutions for high-traffic voice and data areas, addressing coverage and capacity gaps at specific urban locations through targeted network expansion. Intended for mobile network operators densifying coverage in busy city streets and public spaces.
- Indoor Customized indoor coverage solutions using Distributed Antenna System (DAS) architecture to eliminate shadow areas and ensure voice and data quality in large enclosed venues such as stadiums, shopping centers, airports, hospitals, and hotels. Intended for mobile network operators and venue owners needing reliable indoor cellular coverage.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40% of infrastructure hosts multiple operators, demonstrating shared infrastructure efficiency
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Highline
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Highline technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Highline partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- iez! telecomcoreiez! telecom, a regional 5G license winner for Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo, partnered with Highline to build its 5G network. The partnership includes commitment for space rental on at least 1,000 towers.
- TIM BrasilcoreTIM and Highline partnered for 4G infrastructure deployment along 412km of Way-112 highways in Mato Grosso do Sul. TIM also partnered for off-grid solar-powered sites in areas without electricity and biosite installations in heritage areas.
- LandownersminorPrivate landowners who rent their land to Highline for telecom tower and infrastructure installation, with 90,000+ partnership points available across Brazil.
- NK 108 Empreendimentos e ParticipaçõescoreHighline Brasil affiliate that acquired Oi towers (SPE Torres 2) for R$ 905 million; Oi became lessee of the sold towers under sale-leaseback arrangement.
- OicoreOi completed sale of 8,000 fixed network towers to Highline/NK 108 for R$ 905 million and became tenant of the infrastructure through lease agreements.
- Global SitesminorHighline acquired approximately 100 sites from Global Sites distributed across different regions of Brazil for R$ 55 million in February 2025.
- Phoenix Tower do BrasilmajorAcquired 2,500 towers from Phoenix Tower do Brasil as part of 2020 expansion, contributing to growth from 300 towers in 2019 to over 4,000 towers.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Highline competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SBA Communications: Major global tower operator with selective Latin American exposure. Closely comparable to Highline in asset-light tower-lease economics, multi-tenant model, and pursuit of emerging-market growth opportunities.
- IHS Towers: One of the largest independent tower operators in emerging markets, with meaningful operations across Africa and Latin America including Brazil. Highly comparable to Highline in business model, customer base (regional MNOs), and growth-via-acquisition strategy.
- Phoenix Tower International: Latin America-focused independent tower operator with portfolios across the Caribbean, Central and South America. Closely comparable to Highline in regional focus, shared-infrastructure model, and Digital Bridge-adjacent investor backing.
- American Tower Corporation: The world's largest independent tower operator, with a dominant Brazilian portfolio of tens of thousands of sites. Most directly comparable to Highline in business model (shared telecom infrastructure leased to MNOs) and is the principal competitor for both MNO contracts and acquisition targets in Brazil.
- Vertical Bridge: US-focused private tower company and Digital Bridge portfolio company. Highly comparable to Highline in shared-infrastructure business model, sponsor backing, and acquisition-led growth, though geographically focused on the United States.
- Heliot Towers: Independent tower operator focused on Latin America with a portfolio of several thousand sites. Comparable to Highline in shared-infrastructure model, regional MNO customer base, and growth-via-acquisition strategy across emerging Latin American markets.
Broad incumbents
- Crown Castle: US tower and fiber infrastructure operator with the largest domestic US portfolio. Comparable in core tower business model and long-duration lease economics, but operates in a fully developed market and bundles fiber, which Highline does not offer.
- Cellnex Telecom: Europe's largest independent tower operator with an increasingly global footprint. Comparable in business model and tower-lease economics, but operates primarily in developed European markets at substantially larger scale than Highline's Brazil-focused portfolio.
Regional players
- Telesites: Mexican independent tower operator spun out of América Móvil. Comparable in tower-lease business model and Latin American emerging-market positioning, though primarily serving the Mexican market rather than competing directly in Brazil.
Emerging players
- QMC Telecom: Brazil-focused telecom infrastructure provider specializing in indoor coverage, DAS, and small-cell solutions. Comparable to Highline's Indoor and Street Level product lines and Brazilian MNO customer base, though narrower in scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Highline social profiles
Digital presenceHighline financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Highline leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Highline subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Highline funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Highline M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Highline
What does Highline do?
Highline is an independent (neutral-host) shared telecommunications infrastructure developer that builds, acquires, owns, and operates physical network sites — including ground-based towers, rooftop installations, street-level small cells, and indoor DAS systems — and rents space on these sites to mobile network operators for antenna deployment. The company serves telecom operators across Brazil with a recurring long-term lease model, supplemented by custom network construction contracts for 4G and 5G rollouts in specific regions and corridors.
Is Highline a public or private company?
Highline is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Highline founded?
Highline was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Highline based?
Highline is headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil, in the Latin America region.
How does Highline make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tower and Site Rental is the primary driver. The others are network Infrastructure Construction.
Who are Highline's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SBA Communications, IHS Towers, Phoenix Tower International, American Tower Corporation, Vertical Bridge and Heliot Towers. Broad incumbents are Crown Castle and Cellnex Telecom. Telesites is listed as a regional player. QMC Telecom is listed as an emerging player.
Does Highline have an API?
No public API is recorded for Highline.
What industry is Highline in?
Highline's product category is Telecom Infrastructure Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAKAF, Tower Operations & Maintenance (Field Services), with a secondary code of HDAIAKAI, Structural & Civil Engineering for Sites (Design, Reinforcement, Foundations). Its NAICS code is 237130 and its SIC code is 4899.