Network OperatorsTRAI to hold open house debate on differential data pricing on January 21

TRAI to hold open house debate on differential data pricing on January 21

TRAI is planning to hold an open house discussion on January 21 to thrash out the issue of differential data pricing. It’s inviting all interested stakeholders to participate in the gathering which will take place at PHD House in New Delhi.

The open house discussion will mainly center on TRAI’s Differential Pricing for Data Services report. The paper had sparked an intense debate around the issue of net neutrality when it came out last month. Responses to the document mostly saw telecom operators in favor of separate rates for different services, while activists were firmly against such a system.

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As per PTI, TRAI claimed that it had received a record 24 lakh comments for the paper. However, 18.94 lakh or 80% of the messages were mails from Facebook’s Save Free Basics campaign. The social networking website has gone all out to drum up support for the platform which offers Reliance Communications users access to a select set of websites for free.

While acknowledging the fact that zero-rating offerings like Free Basics open up the internet to first-time users, TRAI thinks TSPs have too much influence over tariff rates. The companies could charge more or less for a particular service over another, thus encouraging or discouraging a consumer as per its wishes.

Also See: Telcos opinions on net neutrality paper vague and irrelevant: MP Chandrasekhar

Network brands like Airtel want to make people pay separately for internet-based calls, a system which it had introduced last year to widespread protests. The Internet Democracy Project (IDP) had opposed such a system in its counter comment by declaring that all calls, whether traditional or VoIP, are the same and should not be seen as different.

Even the PMO is weighing in on the net neutrality debate according to rumors. It’s apparently thinking of providing first-time internet consumers with free data packs, similar in execution to the LPG subsidy scheme.

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