Telecommunications operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea (VI) and Reliance Jio said they cannot provide construction solutions (SII) to unfeasible rates offered by the selected partners of the Mumbai authorities for Mumbai Metro stations.
“It is reiterated that it would not be possible to provide the services of the SII with unfeasible rates offered by their selected partner,” said the companions of a letter addressed to Ashwini Bhide, managing director of MUMBII 7.
Instead, telecommunications companies offered connectivity to the Ace Ibs network when installing their equipment.
“This connectivity sacrifice is purely in the free cost base (FOC) until the moment there is an application on the terms and conditions to provide connectivity of the IBS network to its selected partners.
The issue is a continuation of a previous conversation initiated by the telecommunications companies at the end of February when they requested a collaboration initiative to implement the SII within the Mumbai Metro stations. However, now the service providers seem to disagree with the rates suggested by ACES, the company selected by MMRCL for the project.
According to news reports, JIO users are expected to face mobile network problems on Metro 3 Metro-Bandra-Aarey line once it is completely, since the Telco wants a parallel infrastructure of SII parallel. Meanwhile, Airstel and VI have agreed to a joint deployment of SII according to the mandate of MMRCL to guarantee efficient wiring and radio equipment in the restricted underground space.
Posted on April 19, 2025