Telecom giant Mukesh Ambani's company is one of the voices calling on the government to address what they see as monopolistic practices at Gautam Adani's new Mumbai airport. They claim that the airport is obstructing operators from offering mobile connectivity, as stated in a letter seen by Reuters.

The Adani-operated Navi Mumbai International Airport refuted these allegations. However, this dispute underscores the escalating competition between India's two wealthiest individuals, whose business empires are increasingly overlapping in sectors ranging from green energy to data centers.

The airport, situated on the outskirts of Mumbai, commenced operations in December following its inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is the latest addition to Adani's collection of eight airports, with plans for further expansions.

Shortly after its opening, passengers took to social media to complain about poor or non-existent mobile coverage. Privacy concerns were also raised after billboards promoting free airport Wi-Fi were spotted.

Telecom Operators Demand Access to Airport Infrastructure

In a letter dated January 13, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) urged the Indian government to intervene, stating that Adani's airport must provide access for installing necessary equipment as mandated by Indian regulations for public entities, including airports. The denial of access, according to COAI, has created a "monopolistic bottleneck".

In response, Navi Mumbai International Airport stated that it has implemented "state-of-the-art solutions" and suggested that operators collaborate with the entity managing the airport's in-building network infrastructure.

COAI, representing Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea, declined to comment further beyond the letter, which has not been made public.

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

Passenger Concerns

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

Passengers online expressed frustration that the airport's Wi-Fi cannot be accessed without mobile coverage, as the login process 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)," wrote user adarsxh_baab on January 13.

Adani's statement countered that leaving network coverage to individual operators often results in "sub-optimal coverage" in critical areas like baggage handling zones. COAI also alleged that the airport demanded approximately $102,000 per operator monthly - nearly $5 million annually for four carriers - to utilize its centralized network, a claim Adani dismissed.

"We can't make calls, pay for cabs, or even book anything. If you're a solo traveler, it's a nightmare," wrote user Srihita Vanguri on the platform last Sunday.