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Seeking comments on TRAI’s Consultation Paper on Differential Pricing for Data Services

Seeking comments on TRAI’s Consultation Paper on Differential Pricing for Data Services
आरंभ करने की तिथि :
Dec 10, 2015
अंतिम तिथि :
Jan 15, 2016
00:00 AM IST (GMT +5.30 Hrs)
प्रस्तुतियाँ समाप्त हो चुके

The past few years have witnessed tremendous growth in data usage and quite a large number of data tariff offers are made available by the service providers. The regulatory ...

The past few years have witnessed tremendous growth in data usage and quite a large number of data tariff offers are made available by the service providers. The regulatory guidelines till now on discrimination and transparency in tariff offers were more focused to address the regulatory concerns in voice telephony. The growth of data usage and the manner in which data schemes are being designed by service providers currently, calls for a re-look at the regulatory principles of non-discriminatory tariff and transparency measures in the context of data tariff offers.

It has come to the notice of TRAI that some service providers are offering differential data tariff with free or discounted tariffs to certain contents of certain websites/applications/platforms. The objective of offering such schemes is claimed to be the desire of various service providers/content providers or platform providers to enable the consumers, especially the poor, to access certain content on the internet free of charge.
Where reduced rates are tied to specific content, potentially, both positive and negative effects arise from an economic and regulatory perspective. On the one hand, it appears to make overall internet access more affordable by reducing costs of certain types of content. On the other hand, several negative effects might ensue. Differential tariffs results in classification of subscribers based on the content they want to access (those who want to access non-participating content will be charged at a higher rate than those who want to access participating content). This may potentially go against the principle of non-discriminatory tariff.
Therefore, the potential benefits and disadvantages of such practices have to be weighed in order to determine the regulatory approach.

In this background, TRAI has issued a consultation paper on the issue of differential pricing for data services seeking comments from stakeholders on certain issues as enumerated below:

i. Should the TSPs be allowed to have differential pricing for data usage for accessing different websites, applications or platforms?

ii. If differential pricing for data usage is permitted, what measures should be adopted to ensure that the principles of non-discrimination, transparency, affordable internet access, competition and market entry and innovation are addressed?

iii. Are there alternative methods/technologies/business models, other than differentiated tariff plans, available to achieve the objective of providing free internet access to the consumers? If yes, please suggest/describe these methods/technologies/business models. Also, describe the potential benefits and disadvantages associated with such methods/technologies/business models?

Through this forum of My Gov, TRAI invites the comments of the stakeholders on the above issues by 7th January, 2015.

Consultation Paper on Differential Pricing for Data Services

1056 सबमिशन दिखा रहा है
Prithvi Sehgal
Prithvi Sehgal 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

Do not allow free basics . Do not give all the power to one corporation which will be detrimental towards net neutrality.
Free basics will be step towards the disruption of digital India.

Manish Prasad_7
Manish Prasad_7 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

Allowing FREE-BASICS would allow a direct security breach in the indian sub continent, as the use of drones by Facebook is very dangerous.It can be used by terrorists or any other anti-social element to fulfill their selfish motives. Net- neutrality is our own goverment approach ,allowing foreign companies to control the networking policy is dangerous for our country's security.Also,net-neutrality is far better than facebook intiative in economic terms..

p.balu@nic.in
Dr Balasubramanian P 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

Govt supported the Openness in ICT and brought out Policies on Open Standard, Open Data, Open Source Software, etc to have strategic control on ICT solutions used in eGov. Net-Neutrality helps to maintain the openness; in its absence, Govt initiatives like Startup-India, Digital-India, Digital-Inclusiveness will suffer. The young Indian Entrepreneurs will suffer in bringing innovative business models making technology.

Chetan Sankhla
CHETAN SANKHLA 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

कुछ विशेष कंटेंट्स के लिए रियायती दर का होना अच्छा नहीं हैं। किसी वर्ग विशेष के उपभोग का भार किसी दूसरे वर्ग विशेष पर डालना उचित नहीं है।
बेहतर होगा ट्राई रियायती दरों पर ध्यान न देकर ये नियम लागू करें की सब्सक्राइबड़ प्लान यूज होने के बाद के डाटा यूजेज़ पर उसी अनुपात में चार्ज हो जितनी दर का बेस प्लान उदाहरण के तौर पर यदि 250 रु/1 GB का प्लान हो और उपभोक्ता 1.5 जीबी यूज करें तो उसका बिल 375 रु ही होना चाहिए इसके अतिरिक्त ट्राई कंपनियों को न्युंतम स्पीड उपलब्ध कराने के लिए भी बाध्य करें

Amit Goel_11
Amit Goel_11 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

Free basics should be based on Net Neutrality means Everything should be accessible to Everyone and not like that for the services which are part of free basics, are free to access and for the others, which we want to access, we have to pay again.

DIVVYA ASHWIN
DIVVYA ASHWIN 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

I do not support free basics. I vote for net neutrality. Its what large corporations do - lobby for their own benefit under some sort of pretence like in this case Facebook trying to help all the poor Indians by getting them connected to the Internet. It is a prima facie case of illegitimate motive to tap a huge market like India and getting them used to FB and some limited websites by merely trapping ignorant people. As a responsible Govt body TRAI should act for the greater good of this Nation

sanath77@aol.in
Sanath Kumar 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

I support Differential pricing similar to free-to-air TV channels coexist with paid channels, this can not be considered discriminatory. Other examples are Toll-free telephone, Govt's free food schemes/cross subsidy schemes, reservations & different cut-off mark/age in competitive exams all can be debatable but it exists. Govt./Regulator should decide on terms & conditions and not Pvt. players like FaceBook. Free basics should be allowed with different T&C and some I've enclosed in pdf.

Dusmant Pati
Dusmant Pati 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

I do not support Free basics. Facebook is trying to create a crack among the citizens of india by promoting this Free basics. I think, most of us know, why they are trying to do it. To make more folks on FB and grow with their advertisement revenue. FB has vested interest than anything else. I vote for Net Neutrality. #savetheinternet #TRAI

Ashish Kulshrestha_4
Ashish Kulshrestha_4 9 साल 4 महीने पहले

Free Basics seems to be a noble effort on face of it as it is giving platform to people who can't afford to have internet.
My only point is if someone is thinking so much about well being why is he not offering Complete Internet platform for free through any provider.
Companies are showering so much freebies at the initial stage but they would not mind changing this policy as the platform get numerous dependent citizens.
Hence I REJECT Free Basics.

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