Tight slap to Facebook’s Free Basics by TRAI
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India(TRAI) came into rescue of net neutrality in India from corporate giants like Facebook, Reliance and etc. Earlier Facebook tried to introduce free basics in India. But multiple pro net neutrality activists, organisations complained to TRAI against free basics. After taking petitions from millions of Indians, TRAI published “Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations, 2016” today to block free basics concept in India.
The main points in prohibition of discriminatory tariffs regulation are:
- No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content
- No service provider shall enter into any arrangement, agreement or contract, by whatever name called, with any person, natural or legal, that has the effect of discriminatory tariffs for data services being offered or changed to the consumer on the basic of content.
- The decision of the Authority as to whether a service provider is in contravention of this regulation shall be final and binding.
- Exemption for certain content.
TRAI also mentioned the consequences for failing to follow above regulations. So there will be no free basics up to next two years as these regulations valid for two years and subjected to change after. See original document published here.
