Sources also revealed that the committee, which was looking into the issue, had come to a unanimous decision to stop differential pricing citing that customers should not be constrained from accessing any kind of service or product on the internet.
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“Keeping in view India’s large number of internet users and content producers, the Authority has taken a view that prohibition of discriminatory tariff for data services is necessary to ensure that service providers continue to fulfill their obligations in keeping the internet open and non-discriminatory”, said TRAI in a statement on Monday.
TRAI issued a Consultation Paperon “Differential Pricing for Data Services” in December, 2015. However, the regulation will not apply to tariffs for data services over closed communication networks, unless tariffs offered evade prohibition of this regulation.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has maintained that it is “not sustainable to offer the whole internet for free”.
However it was opposed by supporters of net neutrality who argued that data providers should not favour some online services over others. Trai added that a penalty of Rs 50,000 a day, capped at Rs 50 lakh, will be levied on service providers violating the rule and the authority may review these regulations after two years from the day the rules come into effect. It has just been reported that TRAI has stated that companies will be barred from charging or offering data traffic on a discriminatory basis.
No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content.
TRAI has ruled that a service provider may reduce tariff rates for accessing and providing emergency services. “This regulation comes into effect from today”, RS Sharma, Chairman, TRAI, said.
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Primarily, two key principles of tariff regulation – non-discrimination and transparency were getting impacted from such practices and required consultation.
