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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
Start Date :
Dec 10, 2015
Last Date :
Jan 15, 2016
00:00 AM IST (GMT +5.30 Hrs)
Submission Closed

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

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Showing 1056 Submission(s)
ankit_458
ankit_458 10 years 8 months ago
in my view internet since its inception has been source of creativity, connectivity and originality.stratification of internet would pave way to giant highways rather than tiny webs. And as it is true in nature selective breeding leads to loss of characteristics.if companies like Facebook want to provide low cost internet let them do so through apps and not involve isps. net neutrality must be maintained despite the lure because the future shouldn't be dependent on a few to own.
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S Raju_2
S Raju_2 10 years 8 months ago
Don't allow telecom operators to change the definition of Net Neutrality. Net Neutrality means access to EVERYTHING on the Internet, without discrimination. Access for everyone is a different goal — universal access. We support universal access, but it must be to the public Internet, not some private walled garden. Don't allow telcos to split the internet and become gatekeepers of what the next 1 billion Indians can access.
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Jai Deep Puri
Jai Deep Puri 10 years 8 months ago
Since data services are being used predominantly by the youth in our society, the differential pricing should be linked to the desirable content for their optimum growth and development. Like sites offering content on development of scientific temprament, E-books, sites related to health and hygiene, care of elders and development of empathy, awareness about our responsibilities towards others in society etc etc should be priced lower vis a vis others.
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Sarika Changwani
Sarika Changwani 10 years 8 months ago
Net Neutrality means access to EVERYTHING without discrimination! Don't allow telecom operators to change the definition of Net Neutrality. Net Neutrality means access to EVERYTHING on the Internet, without discrimination. Access for everyone is a different goal — universal access. We support universal access, but it must be to the public Internet, not some private walled garden. Don't allow telcos to split the internet and become gatekeepers of what the next 1 billion Indians can access.
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Rahul Jayantibhai Patel
Rahul Jayantibhai Patel 10 years 8 months ago
I think it should be done as poor farmers and peoples who can't afford it would be able to use internet for vital services,when facebook was launched internet was EXPENSIVE, similarly if someone new will emerge peoples will use it regardless of expense. We must take a step to provide free/affordable internet access to needy. whats app should be included as it allows people to communicate
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Hitarth Pipariya
Hitarth Pipariya 10 years 8 months ago
If yahoo would have launched something like internet.org ten years before then facebook would have not existed today. So facebook is not supporting net neutrality facebook simply wants to take control of the internet for a massive profit. Facebook is just ensuring to avoid future threats so that if some other social networking websites are launched so they can't beat facebook because for access to other sites facebook will charge money and since most cant afford it they can't go to that site.
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Aakash Rautia
Aakash Rautia 10 years 8 months ago
I support #realnetneutrality. The definition of net neurality is that everyone can access everything on internet but today telecom companies are changing it for their own profit like facebook. Facebook says that net neutrality is everyone can access internet and so those people who don't know what facebook is doing supports blindly to its definition. There should be strict laws for this.
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Aakash Rautia
Aakash Rautia 10 years 8 months ago
If yahoo would have launched something like internet.org ten years before then facebook would have not existed today. So facebook is not supporting net neutrality facebook simply wants to take control of the internet for a massive profit. Facebook is just ensuring to avoid future threats so that if some other social networking websites are launched so they can't beat facebook because for access to other sites facebook will charge money and since most cant afford it they can't go to that site.
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Aakash Rautia
Aakash Rautia 10 years 8 months ago
Those companies who are initiating the free internet services in a given service circle should be stopped because it does not follow the definition of net neutrality. They are making their own definitions for profit only. Internet.org which is started by facebook is an example. By internet.org facebook is taking the freedom of users as they will be charged for extra services hence the only profut goes to facebook and its partners where is net neutrality in that!
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Aakash Rautia
Aakash Rautia 10 years 8 months ago
Those companies who are initiating the free internet services in a given service circle should be stopped because it does not follow the definition of net neutrality. They are making their own definitions for profit only. Internet.org which is started by facebook is an example. By internet.org facebook is taking the freedom of users as they will be charged for extra services hence the only profut goes to facebook and its partners where is net neutrality in that!
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