Airtel, Vodafone Idea start offering mobile services on Mumbai Metro after months-long dispute

Telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea have started offering mobile connectivity across the underground sections of Mumbai Metro's Aqua Line.

This came months after a dispute with Mumbai Metro Rail Corp. Ltd (MMRCL) over the commercial terms for providing network services through a third-party vendor appointed by the metro operator.

Vodafone Idea, in a statement on Thursday, said its mobile network services are live across 16 stations from Aarey JVLR to Acharya Atre Chowk stretch on the Mumbai Metro Aqua Line 3 network. The rollout across Phase 2 of the metro, covering 11 stations from Science Centre Metro Station to Cuffe Parade, is currently underway, it said, adding that services had earlier been temporarily unavailable due to unresolved matters between Mumbai Metro Rail and ACES Infrastructure.

Bharti Airtel too has started offering connectivity across 10 stations from Aarey to BKC. "The network is fully operational at these stations, reinforcing Airtel’s commitment to delivering consistent, high-quality connectivity. As part of the expansion plan, we will cover the remaining 17 stations on the Aqua Line over the next 60 days, further enhancing the digital experience for millions of daily commuters across Mumbai’s metro network," an Airtel spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

According to industry executives, the issue is resolved as charges that the telecom operators will pay to Mumbai Metro for deploying their network infrastructure will now be as per the government’s right of way (RoW) rules and are significantly less compared to the earlier demand.

Queries emailed to Reliance Jio did not elicit any response till the press time.

The issue assumes significance because when the Mumbai Metro Aqua line was starting operations last year, MMRC looped in a Saudi Arabia-based digital infrastructure provider, ACES, to provide in-building solutions. MMRC is a joint venture between the central government and the Maharashtra government. As per the plan, ACES would be a neutral host through which telecom operators would provide connectivity to Mumbai’s underground metro stations.

Last year, in a joint letter to MMRC, the three private telecom operators said that “it would not be possible for us to provide IBS (in-building solution) services at unviable rates offered by your selected partner ACES”.

The dispute also drew the attention of the department of telecommunications (DoT), which stepped in to resolve the issue. “The matter was taken up with the Maharashtra government as well at the highest level earlier this year to resolve the dispute,” an official in the know said, seeking anonymity. “Deployment of telecom connectivity infrastructure at these public places cannot be treated as a revenue-generating business and has to be as per the government’s RoW norms,” the official added.

In March, the MMRCL had terminated its contract with ACES India and later issued a fresh tender for an in-building infrastructure provider, which did not attract any bids. Later, in May, MMRCL issued a joint letter of acceptance (LoA) to Reliance Jio Infocomm, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea to provide cellular network connectivity along the route, according to a report by The Hindustan Times dated 23 May.

“Reliable connectivity is an essential part of everyone’s daily commute. We are very pleased that our service is available on Aqua Line Phase 1 of the Mumbai Metro network, Phase 2 will go live soon,” said Jagbir Singh, chief technology officer of Vodafone Idea.

The telecom operator expects to extend services across the rest of the metro network over the coming weeks, ensuring seamless connectivity for customers across Mumbai’s expanding metro ecosystem.

"Mobile network services are now available on AquaLine...Passengers can access mobile connectivity during their journey on these sections of the corridor," MMRC said in a post on X on Thursday.