Indian telecom operators—Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea—have written to airport authorities of Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, Navi Mumbai, and Mumbai, seeking permission to deploy in-building solutions (IBS) for telecom connectivity without involving third-party infrastructure providers.
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Push for Direct IBS Installations at Airports
In separate but similarly worded letters sent in the last week of April, the operators urged the airports' chief executives to allow a joint survey of the premises and grant right-of-way (RoW) for the deployment of a common IBS network. The telcos cited regulatory norms, which prohibit third-party vendors from deploying active telecom infrastructure, allowing only licensed telecom service providers with spectrum rights to do so.
"We propose the deployment of a common in-building solution within the airport terminal to provide seamless and high-quality telecom connectivity, without involving any third-party infrastructure provider," the telcos said in the letters sent individually to the airport authorities in the last week of April, according to ETTelecom.
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Regulatory Norms Cited
The operators also said that public authorities are obligated to provide RoW to licensed entities for infrastructure deployment, and such permissions should not attract charges beyond those prescribed under the RoW rules. They added that the deployment of IBS in public spaces entails significant capital and operational investment, with limited commercial returns.
IBS Seen as Public Service, Not Profit
"Despite this, we are fully committed to investing in infrastructure at the airport to ensure consistent and high-quality connectivity for all users. Accordingly, RoW permissions should be viewed as a facilitative measure for public service rather than a commercial opportunity," the telcos said, as per the report.
Also Read: Airtel, Jio, Vi Urge Direct IBS Deployment at Noida Airport, Oppose Third-Party Involvement
The latest representations follow similar appeals made by the telecom firms to the Mumbai Metro and the upcoming Noida International Airport authorities, as part of a broader effort to directly manage telecom infrastructure in key public areas.
