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Washington D.C., Feb 9: “We applaud the decision of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s decision to choose Net Neutrality banning immediately any differential pricing for data – that means no content can be offered under a varying pricing scheme,” said George Abraham, Chairman of the Indian National Overseas Congress and a former Chief Technology Officer of the United Nations.
In a move seen as an endorsement of net neutrality and a setback to offerings such as Facebook’s Free Basics and Airtel Zero, India’s telecom watchdog on Monday said no to discriminatory pricing of data content.
“No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content,” the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) said in a much-awaited regulatory order.
The watchdog has also called for a fine of Rs.50,000 per day for each act of contravention, subject to a cap of Rs.50 lakh.
“TRAI is justified in suspending the push by Facebook and others in their argument that it violates the principles of ‘net neutrality, the concept that all websites on the internet are treated equally. Differential pricing would have placed small content providers and start-ups at major disadvantage,” said Abraham.
‘We also salute Mr. Rahul Gandhi, Vice-President of the AICC, who stood alongside with neutrality activists and raised this critical issue inside and outside of the Parliament,’ he added.
Net neutrality translates into an open Internet where users can have full freedom of access and navigation. It means innovators can develop products and services without restraints. The broadband providers cannot block, throttle or create special ‘fast lane’ (prioritize) for their preferred set of users and content providers.
Also Read: India: Preserve Net Neutrality for Innovation and Growth
‘We are indeed quite satisfied that we were also able to contribute our share arguments in support of ‘net neutrality and the authorities who have made this difficult decision under tremendous pressure deserve the gratitude of a nation’, INOC chairman Abraham said.
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With inputs from IANS
