Billionaire Mukesh Ambani, telcom firms spar with Navi Mumbai airport on mobile networks

New Delhi: Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's telecom company is among those urging the government to act over ​what they describe as monopolistic practices at Gautam Adani's new Navi Mumbai airport, saying the facility ‌is blocking operators from providing mobile connectivity, according to a letter seen ⁠by Reuters.

Adani-run Navi Mumbai International ‌Airport denied the allegations, but the dispute highlights the growing rivalry between India's two richest men, whose conglomerates increasingly compete across sectors from green energy to data centres.

The airport, located on Mumbai’s outskirts, began operations in December after being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is the latest addition to Adani’s portfolio ​of eight airports, with plans for more.

Within days of opening, passengers complained on social media about poor or non-existent mobile coverage and raised privacy concerns after spotting billboards offering free airport Wi-Fi.

Telecom operators demand access to airport infrastructure

A January 13 letter from ‌Cellular Operators ‌Association of India to India's government states Adani's airport must grant access to install equipment as required by Indian regulations for public entities, which ⁠includes airports, and that a denial has created a "monopolistic bottleneck".

In its statement, Navi Mumbai International Airport said it had deployed “state-of-the-art solutions” and that operators could partner with an entity managing the airport’s in-building network infrastructure.

COAI, which represents Ambani's Reliance Jio, ⁠Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, said it had no comment beyond the letter, ⁠which is not public.

The companies and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of ‌India, did not respond to Reuters queries.

Passenger distress: 'We can't call people'

Jio leads India's ‌telecom market with over 500 million subscribers, followed by Airtel at 314 million and Vodafone at nearly 128 million.

Online, passengers have voiced frustration that the airport’s Wi-Fi cannot be accessed without mobile coverage because login ‍requires a one-time password sent via WhatsApp.

"You'll be thankful to see free Wi-Fi banners, thinking you can at least book cabs now. You go to the Wi-Fi network and try to log in, but it requires an OTP (one time password)," X user adarsxh_baab wrote on January 13.

Adani's statement added that when network coverage is left to individual operators, they often provide "sub-optimal coverage" in sensitive areas such as baggage handling zones.

COAI also said the airport is demanding around Rs 92,05,959 ($1,02,000) per operator each month - nearly Rs 45 crore ($5 million) annually for four carriers - ​to use its centralised network, ‌an allegation Adani denied.

"We can't call people, pay for cabs or even book anything. If you're a solo traveller it's hell," X user Srihita Vanguri wrote on the platform on Sunday.