Thai operator AIS signed a ten-year contract to lease towers from state-run TOT, settling a long-running ownership dispute.

In a statement, AIS said the companies agreed to a usage fee covering space rental and maintenance service at 13,198 towers, with an estimated total net value of THB28 billion ($913 million) over the term of the deal.

AIS operated a 2G concession with TOT which required it to gradually transfer the towers to the state enterprise. The operator transferred about 11,000 towers by end-2014, but failed to give TOT the last 2,000 sites after it raised questions about the 25-year concession and the case went to arbitration, Bangkok Post reported.

When the 2G concession ended in 2015, before the dispute was settled, TOT agreed to allow AIS to use the towers temporarily for a monthly service fee of THB300 million.

AIS said the leasing agreement “allows both parties to fairly make long-term use of the towers in supporting its telecommunications service, as well as for TOT to secure revenue from tower rental on an appropriate term considering its actual and potential use”.