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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
Yeluvaka Dileep Kumar
Yeluvaka Dileep Kumar 9 साल 6 महीने पहले

i) No.
ii) Follows from 1,this case should not arise.
iii) "Providing free internet access to the consumers"- who? Pressure Groups such as Facebook, TSPs. Why? To use there differential priced applications and click on ads.
Government should look into other alternatives to provide with "free internet"(if needed) and not to rely on TSPs who collaborate with application developers to do this.

SachinMundra
Sachin Mundra 9 साल 6 महीने पहले

Is there any reporting on how many suggestions recd, how many were positive and how many were negative? I suspect there is any usable reporting that can be generated from such a forum. Can you please provide radio buttons or clearly selectable checkboxes for the result that you are attempting to obtain from such a survey? Otherwise is there is no clear indication of the results. Thanks!

a.sandeep@hotmail.com
Sandeep Anirudhan 9 साल 6 महीने पहले

First of all, Net Netrality must last forever!
Secondly, Facebook is manipulating its users to send a letter supporting its Free Basics feature to the TRAI, this is 'FRAUD' and deliberate manipulation, and exercise of Monopolistic powers! Facebook should be tried for all of these violations!
Thirdly, TRAI should be directed to ignore all the emails received thus from users of facebook.

SachinMundra
Sachin Mundra 9 साल 6 महीने पहले

NO, NO, NO!

No - TSPs should not be allowed to have differential pricing for data usage for accessing specific websites. This will lead to monopolization and polarization towards those websites. We want the country to be un-biased especially in todays age, this move will definitely cause bias to be rampant.

No - Differential pricing should not allowed, period. There are no rules implementable enough to give any likeliness of credibility.

We should work towards reasonable tariff plans

Amit Prakash_9
Amit Prakash_9 9 साल 6 महीने पहले

1. Stricly No, I Strongly oppose Free Basics #SayNoToFreeBasics #SaveTheInternet.
2. If differential pricing for data usage is permitted, I would suggest the Mozilla way of attribution by Sponsoring the Full Internet. http://goo.gl/P9S5tD . Still a moot point.
3.Alternatives are:
a.) Aircel to offer free Internet across India at 64 kbps(http://goo.gl/PkssgD).
b.) Pruthvi, a chip, can connect India's rural population to the internet http://goo.gl/nPzWC8

BIBHAS DAS_2
BIBHAS DAS_2 9 साल 6 महीने पहले

"I SUPPORT NET NEUTRALITY OR DIGITAL EQUALITY.BIG NO TO FREE BASICS BY FACEBOOK."

Everyone should be able to access everything on the Internet Equally. Otherwise consequence will affect schemes like "Digital India", "Make in India" & also for the emerging "Start-up" environment. I think, improve mobile network quality in all over the country along with fair bandwidth scheme will bring the digital revolution in India and we don’t need misleading and tricky FREE BASICS.

JAI HIND

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