{"id":1305185,"date":"2026-01-22T09:13:06","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T03:43:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/?p=1305185"},"modified":"2026-01-22T09:13:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T03:43:36","slug":"trai-will-investigate-why-adani-group-is-blocking-airtel-jio-in-navi-mumbai-airport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/trai-will-investigate-why-adani-group-is-blocking-airtel-jio-in-navi-mumbai-airport\/","title":{"rendered":"TRAI Will Investigate Why Adani Group Is Blocking Airtel, Jio In Navi Mumbai Airport"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>India\u2019s telecom regulator, the <strong>Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)<\/strong>, is examining a dispute involving major telecom operators and the newly opened <strong>Navi Mumbai International Airport<\/strong> regarding pricing and access for mobile network deployment at the airport. The inquiry reflects broader concerns about connectivity, fair pricing, and infrastructure access at critical public facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"654\" src=\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2025-12-28-at-10.02.05-AM-1-1024x654.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1305213\" srcset=\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2025-12-28-at-10.02.05-AM-1-1024x654.png 1024w, https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2025-12-28-at-10.02.05-AM-1-300x192.png 300w, https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2025-12-28-at-10.02.05-AM-1-768x490.png 768w, https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2025-12-28-at-10.02.05-AM-1-1536x981.png 1536w, https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2025-12-28-at-10.02.05-AM-1-2048x1308.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Triggered the Probe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Industry body <strong>Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI)<\/strong> approached <a href=\"https:\/\/www.business-standard.com\/industry\/news\/trai-probes-telcos-pricing-issue-over-network-setup-at-navi-mumbai-airport-126012100801_1.html\">TRAI seeking regulatory intervention<\/a> after facing challenges in deploying network equipment around the airport. Operators allege that the costs and conditions associated with establishing mobile coverage \u2014 particularly <strong>in-building solutions (IBS)<\/strong> \u2014 are unclear, non-transparent, or potentially disproportionate. COAI\u2019s letter to TRAI raised multiple issues, including <strong>right-of-way permissions<\/strong> and pricing concerns, prompting the regulator to seek details on past agreements and pricing structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Core Issues in the Dispute<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Rights of Way and Access<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Telecom firms argue they have encountered difficulties securing <strong>rights-of-way (RoW)<\/strong> and access permissions needed to install their own infrastructure. Operators believe that airports qualify as <strong>public entities<\/strong> under telecom regulations and should grant licensed telecom service providers access on a non-discriminatory basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pricing and Monopoly Concerns<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The airport and its affiliates currently offer a centralized network solution managed by a third party. COAI claims this forces operators to accept infrastructure arrangements and pricing terms that may exceed actual cost-based metrics. According to industry sources, some carriers reported charges running into <strong>tens of lakhs per month per operator<\/strong>, which they say do not align with infrastructure costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Connectivity Problems Reported by Passengers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Separate reports note that travellers experienced <strong>limited mobile connectivity<\/strong> at the new airport soon after its December opening, highlighting the practical implications of the ongoing dispute over infrastructure deployment and pricing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>TRAI\u2019s Approach and Next Steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>TRAI has formally requested COAI provide documentation and details about historical pricing arrangements for setting up telecom networks in similar contexts. The regulator intends to <strong>study these agreements<\/strong> before determining whether to issue directives, recommend pricing ceilings, or clarify right-of-way obligations for public facilities like airports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to TRAI officials, the regulator can act based on industry references without needing a specific government directive, potentially accelerating its review process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why This Matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Mobile connectivity in public transportation hubs like international airports is <strong>critical for passengers, security systems, operations, and airport services<\/strong>. Disputes over pricing and access can lead to gaps in coverage, customer frustration, and real-world complaints \u2014 as was reported by travellers at the Navi Mumbai airport shortly after its commercial launch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The case also highlights a broader regulatory question about how <strong>shared or neutral host infrastructure<\/strong> should be priced and governed when multiple telecom operators rely on access to serve end users efficiently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As TRAI reviews the COAI\u2019s submission and pricing practices, stakeholders will be watching for regulatory guidance that could set precedents for how telecom infrastructure access and pricing are handled at major public venues. A balanced resolution could improve connectivity for travellers and clarify the rights and obligations of telecom operators and infrastructure hosts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>India\u2019s telecom regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), is examining a dispute involving major telecom operators and the newly opened Navi Mumbai International Airport regarding pricing and access for mobile network deployment at the airport. The inquiry reflects broader concerns about connectivity, fair pricing, and infrastructure access at critical public facilities. What Triggered [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":1305213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[761,296,297,6605],"class_list":["post-1305185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","tag-adani","tag-airtel","tag-jio","tag-navi-mumbai-airport"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>TRAI Will Investigate Why Adani Group Is Blocking Airtel, Jio In Navi Mumbai Airport - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/trak.in\/stories\/trai-will-investigate-why-adani-group-is-blocking-airtel-jio-in-navi-mumbai-airport\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"TRAI Will Investigate Why Adani Group Is Blocking Airtel, Jio In Navi Mumbai Airport - Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile &amp; Startups\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"India\u2019s telecom regulator, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), is examining a dispute involving major telecom operators and the newly opened Navi Mumbai International Airport regarding pricing and access for mobile network deployment at the airport. 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