The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) and industry group the GSMA, which represents mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, have signed an agreement to advance the mobile industry in India.
Indian news services have reported that SP Kochhar, DG of COAI, and Julian Gorman, Head of APAC, GSMA, signed the MoU this week in Barcelona, and put out a statement that said: “COAI and GSMA have a common objective to support the advancement of world-class mobile infrastructure, products and services, and to deliver the benefits of innovative and affordable mobile communication services to the people of India,”
COAI, which represents the three big mobile operators in India, Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea, has said it will collaborate with GSMA on “areas of mutual interest”.
GSMA will provide insights on “global event best practice” planning and execution. What is described as a “specific point of contact” will be appointed to manage the commitments under this MoU. COAI will provide local intelligence on current and upcoming policy/regulatory issues and initiatives that may have implications for the mobile industry.
Kochhar said that the partnership will allow COAI to “have regular and continuous policy discussions to advance mobile telecommunications contribution in India and raise the profile of the mobile network operators and the wider mobile ecosystem”.
