Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIAL) has rejected allegations levelled against it by telecom industry body COAI over denial of network access and pricing at the airport, NMIAL said it was following globally accepted airport practices and has not denied Right of Way (RoW) permissions to any operator.
“It is factually incorrect to state that telecom connectivity is unavailable at NMIAL. BSNL, a leading government-owned telecom service provider (TSP), has already been onboarded and is providing fully functional connectivity at the airport,” a spokesperson from the airport authority said in a statement.
Responding to COAI’s recent submission to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), the spokesperson said: “Airports are critical national infrastructure with unique security and operational requirements. Globally, most airports adopt a single, neutral-host telecom infrastructure to ensure uniform coverage, safety, and operational efficiency.”
Neutral-Host Strategy
NMIAL further said its decision to deploy In-Building Solution (IBS) as a neutral host was based on operational learnings across airports, where certain mission-critical zones can face coverage gaps when left to individual telecom operators.
“The decision to deploy a state-of-the-art In-Building Solution (IBS) at NMIAL as a neutral host is based on learnings across airports, where certain mission-critical zones—such as baggage handling areas, utility buildings, and Air Traffic Control (ATC)—often receive sub-optimal coverage when left to individual Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), which typically prioritise high passenger-density areas,” the airport spokesperson said.
According to NMIAL, such gaps can lead to passenger inconvenience and affect overall airport efficiency. “The neutral-host model ensures seamless, uniform, and secure connectivity across all airport zones,” the spokesperson added.
Regulatory Standoff
The airport operator also pushed back against claims around the pricing of telecom infrastructure at the facility. “NMIAL also categorically denies the assertion that it has demanded annual charges of Rs 44.16 crore,” the spokesperson said.
NMIAL added that the pricing of neutral-host IBS services at the airport is consistent with existing practices at other Indian airports operating under the public-private partnership model.
The airport operator also claimed said it has remained engaged with telecom companies throughout the process.
“NMIAL has maintained regular engagement and transparent communication with TSPs and has consistently offered IBS services on terms comparable with existing industry standards,” the spokesperson said.
The response comes after COAI approached the telecom regulator seeking its intervention, arguing that denial of RoW permissions and mandatory use of a single in-building network had created a monopolistic bottleneck at the airport.