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Mobile network connectivity issues, which had plagued Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) since its opening on December 25, 2025, seem to have been resolved, with passengers telling mid-day on Thursday that they faced no such problems. This newspaper, on December 26, highlighted the woes of fliers who complained about the absence of signal for major private operators, preventing them from making calls or booking cabs via their phones.

A signboard mentioning how to access Navi Mumbai airport’s free Wi-Fi network. Pics/Madhulika Ram Kavattur

Following this, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), referring to mid-day’s reportage, wrote a letter to the Telecommunication Ministry. COAI stated that the NMIA operators had asked network providers to use inbuilt services paying up to Rs 42 crore per annum to them, and demanded that right of way — the legal right of facility providers to access and use public or private land to establish, maintain, and operate telecom infrastructure— be given to the providers as per provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 2023.

Thursday visit

When mid-day visited Terminal 1 of NMIA, it was discovered that Airtel and Vodafone India’s cellular networks could be properly accessed, with devices showing full signal bars. At the arrival gate of the airport, digital boards displaying the symbols of Airtel, Vodafone India, and BSNL stated, ‘No delays 
in connecting… customers can enjoy seamless connectivity across the airport’.

Official Speak

Stating that mobile network services of Vodafone, Airtel and BSNL were fully operational across the airport premises, an NMIA official said, “Passengers can now experience seamless connectivity across the terminal. We are also in the process of finalising a public utility contract with Jio, which will further strengthen network availability in the coming days.”

Passengers’ voices

Woman passenger, who requested anonymity
‘I have a Vodafone SIM, and was worried that I wouldn’t have any network after exiting the terminal, and feared that the airport Wi-Fi wouldn’t suffice. But to my surprise, this was not the case at all. I am glad about this because now I can share my location and cab details with my family from the airport itself’

Namit Rajan, who was waiting at arrival gate for friend
‘This is my first time here, and the network has been seamless. I didn’t even know that there were network issues. If the airport has been able to provide such a seamless network now, it is a great development’

Glenn Shetty, Airtel customer
‘The resolution to the connectivity issue has been apt. I hope it continues to stay this way. I have taken multiple calls sitting here in the past hour, and did not experience any signal issues. Now, solo travellers need not fear a lack of network at the airport’

Sunita Krishnamurthy, frequent flier
‘Earlier, the biggest worry after landing was whether the phone would even catch a signal. Today, the network was absolutely smooth. I could instantly book my Ola without any delay. This kind of seamless connectivity really makes travel stress-free, especially for solo passengers’

Sunil Fulwadiya, business traveller
‘The improvement is clearly visible. Within minutes of stepping out, I was able to book an Uber and coordinate with my driver without any hassle. Reliable network connectivity is crucial at an airport, and it’s good to see NMIA finally getting it right’

200,00,000
No of passengers Navi Mumbai airport is designed to handle per annum