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The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Private company to boost mobile connectivity on Namma Metro Phase-2 in Bengaluru
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has entered into a 13-year licence agreement with a private firm to deploy and operate telecom infrastructure aimed at enhancing mobile connectivity across Phase-2 of Namma Metro in Bengaluru. The agreement was signed with Advanced Communications and Electronics Systems Company (ACES) India Private Limited to install, operate, and maintain telecom infrastructure including In-Building Solutions (IBS), Base Transceiver Stations (BTS), cellular towers, and poles across metro stations in the four extensions of Phase-I, and Reach-5 and Reach-6 of Phase-II of Namma Metro. The agreement was signed on July 14, according to BMRCL. BMRCL Managing Director M. Maheshwar Rao said, 'The telecom infrastructure will support multiple mobile network operators, reduce duplication, bring down deployment costs, and enable quicker roll-out of advanced 4G and 5G services. Commuters on these corridors can expect uninterrupted mobile connectivity during their journey.'
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘Extortion, not connectivity': Telecom body COAI accuses Mumbai metro of blocking fair access to mobile network
The Cellular Operators Association of India ( COAI ) has launched a sharp attack on Mumbai Metro , accusing the public transport body of creating a 'monopolistic and extortionate' environment for mobile network access within metro premises. The COAI alleges that instead of allowing telecom operators to install In-Building Solutions (IBS) directly, at their own cost, the Metro has handed over exclusive rights to a third-party vendor, demanding exorbitant charges in return. The move, COAI claims, flies in the face of the new Telecommunications Act and Right of Way (RoW) rules, which prohibit public authorities from denying telecom infrastructure access in public spaces. 'Telecom Service Providers are always willing to provide connectivity through IBS. However, Mumbai Metro has created a monopoly… and is now trying to extract monopolistic and extortionate rents,' said COAI director general S P Kochhar. Kochhar compared the situation with Delhi's Pragati Maidan tunnel and Central Vista, where telcos have set up infrastructure free of cost and without bureaucratic obstruction. 'Deploying networks in high-footfall public infrastructure is standard practice, and doesn't cost the public authority anything,' he said. In a bid to avoid service disruption for lakhs of daily commuters, telecom firms, including Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, jointly offered to provide connectivity free of cost during the trial phase, pending a formal agreement. That April 7 proposal, COAI said, was ignored by Mumbai Metro. COAI also rejected the Metro's claim of following precedent, saying, 'Wrong precedent does not make a legitimate one. The industry is addressing such monopolies with a view to stop these extortionate practices.' With commuter connectivity hanging in the balance, the COAI's message is clear: allow fair access, or risk denying Mumbai its rightful digital infrastructure. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
