TRAI has placed a ban on the Free Basics service offered by Facebook for free Internet.
Today, regulatory of the Indian telecommunications industry, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India effectively placed a ban on a controversial program offered by Facebook in India to provide people with an opportunity to enjoy limited access to internet free of charge.
TRAI states that no company can charge users different prices for accessing different types of content. The regulator’s judgment has also troubled Airtel Zero. Under the rules, Facebook’s partner ‘Reliance Communications Limited’ is no longer eligible to provide the Free Basics facility. It also cannot provide access to the social media webpage of the company free of charge.
Spokesman of Facebook said the company reviewed newly formulated regulations and refused to share views immediately. A spokesman of Reliance Communication could not be reached for comments on the decision.
Critics of Facebook’s Free Basics program and similar facilities state they are violating net neutrality by providing an undue advantage to organizations that take part. Facebook responded that the program does not breach net neutrality. It states Free Basics objective is to let more people access Internet.
In the past few months, Facebook had been battling with TRAI regarding Free Basics program and during that time, it had garnered support for the organization through promotional campaigns and polling on its network asking users for saving Free Basics.
The Indian regulatory body has issued a warning to the operators that they cannot enter into any kind of arrangement done on discriminatory basis, also stated that a fine of $735.82 to $73581.95 if the judgment is breached.
Previously, Hindustan Times learned from sources of the regulatory body that the ultimate guidelines would be announced on Monday around 4:00 pm evening. Sources have also disclosed that the committee, which looked into the matter, took the decision unanimously to cease differential pricing and users should not be stopped from accessing any type of facility or product on the web.
An 11-page consultation paper was released by TRAI on differential pricing strategy in December seeking comments from stakeholders of industry regarding various alternatives to zero-rated facilities or facilities that are capable of having the same impact but would ensure that the internet is kept neutral and free of charge.
Differential pricing for using data is something like charging different prices to customers for accessing different services and webpages. Many people criticized such practices of social media companies. This provides undue advantage to some over the cost of others.
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