Taking a pot shot at Facebook’s Free Basics, which is against net neutrality, journalist Vir Sanghvi tweeted “rot in hell Free Basics”.
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According to Internet activists, this model violates the principle of Net neutrality as it restricts access to free, open Internet.
“No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content”, TRAI said in its order. With that said, Monday’s regulation is a big blow to Facebook’s Free Basics, which reportedly spent Rs. 300 crores in a marketing campaign to generate support for its free Internet platform.
Welcoming the TRAI decision on differential pricing, BJP today said it is a clear expression of popular will and attacked Congress for its “deplorable attempt to mislead” people for “petty politics” over net neutrality.
Facebook has expressed regret over the orders issued by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) banning the concept of “discrimination pricing” which was proposed by certain telecom providers in collaboration with the social media site.
“Our goal with Free Basics is to bring more people online with an open, non-exclusive and free platform”, a Facebook spokespersons told IANS.
No service provider can offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content. “Good decision by TRAI”.
Echoing Facebook, Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) director general Rajan S. Mathews, however, regretted that the watchdog rejected upfront differential pricing without defining net neutrality. “In our opinion, TRAI’s regulation on prohibiting differential pricing constitutes a welfare-reducing measure of high concern by blocking a possible avenue for our less-advantaged citizens to move to increased economic growth and prosperity by harnessing the power of the Internet”.
A service provider may reduce tariff for accessing or providing emergency services, the body ruled. While formulating the Regulations, the Authority has largely been guided by the principles of Net Neutrality seeking to ensure that consumers get unhindered and non-discriminatory access to the internet.
Journalist and former Hindu editor-in-chief Siddharth Varadarajan said “TRAI lays down historic order protecting net neutrality”.
“Congratulations TRAI and R.S Sharma for standing up for consumers”.
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“This is a powerful and positive first step as days of telcos controlling regulations and regulatory policy is over and it’s consumer to the fore”, Chandrasekhar said in a statement here.
