Telecom giants push for seamless connectivity at Noida International Airport without third-party involvement

Time of India

29-04-2025

New Delhi: The top private telecommunications operators --
Reliance Jio
,
Vodafone Idea
, and
Bharti Airtel
— have jointly asked for deploying in-building solutions (
IBS
) for seamless telecom connectivity within the
Noida international airport
without involving any third party infrastructure provider.
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The telcos have asked for approval to conduct a joint survey of the airport premises to install a common IBS network catering to all three networks.
The joint proposal comes after the three telcos asked the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation to allow installing IBS directly, without involving a third-party as the rents being charged by the appointed entity was unviable.
In a letter to the chairman of the Noida International Airport dated April. 24, the three telcos said they possess the legal authority and the technical expertise to deploy state-of-the-art telecom infrastructure at the airport.
"It is pertinent to highlight that third-party vendors are not permitted to deploy active telecom infrastructure. As per current regulations, only TSPs (telecom service providers) holding valid
Universal Access Service Licenses
(UASL) and spectrum rights are authorised to install and operate active IBS networks," the telcos said.
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"Hence, deployment of active IBS by a third-party vendor would not be legally tenable," they said.
The telcos further said that public authorities controlling access to public spaces are mandated to provide RoW (right of way) to licensed TSPs for building telecom networks, without charging additional fees beyond the stipulated RoW fees, under the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the Telecommunications Right of Way (RoW) Rules, 2024.
The telcos said the installation and necessary repairs can be conducted in a coordinated and efficient manner between the three operators, minimising disruptions.
"Granting exclusive rights to a third-party to install IBS infrastructure (active and passive) effectively appoints such an entity as a gatekeeper of RoW and creating a bottleneck. This not only contravenes legal provisions but also creates a monopolistic environment, allowing third parties to impose arbitrary and exorbitant charges on TSPs," the telcos alleged.
The telcos said installation of IBS at public facilities does not typically yield substantial revenues for operators in relation to the investment required. They, however, are willing to absorb the costs to ensure reliable connectivity in public places like airports.
"RoW permissions in such scenarios should thus be viewed not as a source of revenue by Airport, but as a facilitative measure in the public interest," the telcos said.