COAI, TSPs oppose MMRC’s vendor-led mobile plan on Metro Line 3

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), representing India’s leading telecom service providers – Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea, has strongly opposed the illegal and anti-consumer model adopted by Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) for the provision of telecom infrastructure on Metro Line 3 (Colaba–Bandra–Aarey corridor).

At the heart of the issue lies MMRC’s decision to award the deployment of telecom infrastructure to a third-party IP-I vendor, in violation of existing regulations. Under the current telecom licensing framework, IP-I providers are prohibited from deploying active infrastructure. This action not only breaches the Telecommunication Act, 2023, but also sidelines licensed Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), who are legally authorised and technically equipped to independently deploy mobile networks. The deployment of such networks is standard practice in key locations, including the PWD tunnel in Pragati Maidan and the Central Vista, where TSPs have laid infrastructure without incurring costs or involving any third party.

All three TSPs had jointly proposed to install a common In-Building Solution (IBS) network across the metro corridor at their own expense, ensuring seamless and uninterrupted connectivity for commuters, without imposing any financial burden on MMRC.

Nevertheless, MMRC arbitrarily rejected their request for Right of Way (RoW) permissions, citing the selection of a vendor through its internal tender process. This decision places commercial interest above public convenience and represents a blatant violation of the Telecommunication Act, 2023, which guarantees fair and non-discriminatory access to public infrastructure for licensed TSPs.

Key Concerns Raised by COAI and TSPs:

• MMRC’s chosen model contravenes the RoW provisions of the Telecommunication Act, which mandate access to public infrastructure (such as metro stations) for licensed operators.

• IP-I providers do not possess the legal authority to install active telecom infrastructure. Forcing TSPs to work through them is both unlawful and exploitative.

• Contrary to some media reports, no COAI member TSP has signed any agreement with MMRC’s vendor. Any claims suggesting otherwise are factually incorrect.

• MMRC’s insistence on a vendor-driven model amounts to anti-competitive behaviour, leveraging its monopoly over metro premises to extract unjustified commercial returns.

• TSPs do not generate revenue from IBS infrastructure but remain willing to install it at their own cost, purely in the public interest.

• MMRC stands to benefit from enhanced mobile coverage at no expense, yet chooses to obstruct the process for commercial gain.

COAI also reiterated that TSPs are ready and willing to deploy a robust, secure, and unified telecom network across all stations on Metro Line 3, independently, and in full compliance with regulatory norms.

COAI further urged MMRC to immediately reconsider its current stance and uphold the principles of fair access, consumer convenience, and lawful telecom infrastructure deployment.