Telcos Seek TRAI Intervention Over Navi Mumbai Airport Telecom Infrastructure Dispute

Telecom operators, represented by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), have urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to intervene in a dispute with Navi Mumbai International Airport Ltd (NMIAL), operated by the Adani Group. The operators allege that NMIAL has denied them Right of Way (RoW) permissions to deploy their own 4G and 5G infrastructure, instead mandating use of a single in-building solutions (IBS) network controlled by NMIAL or its affiliate. COAI claims this creates a monopolistic bottleneck with excessive, non-transparent charges, hindering connectivity at the airport. They request TRAI to enforce cost-based pricing and ensure non-discriminatory access to telecom infrastructure in public premises like airports.