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Department of Telecom

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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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Rahul Pradhan_1 10 years 7 months ago

We don't want net neutrality to be defined by telecom companies. We don't want telecom companies controlling what we access on the internet and we don't want different charges for different websites. We want to be able to access anything, at any time, without having to pay for it separately. We don't want licensing for any app. We don't want differential pricing. We want net neutrality in the real sense.

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rohit patel_29 10 years 7 months ago

plz dont do this with the internet freedom.this is just an other way of facebook to earn tons of money. it is certainly going to hamper our development as internet is the basic requirment of todays generation and its a ridiculous way to do that. but snatching the independency of internet users by keeping some sites free and other chargeble inspite of giving money is just a trick of facebook to make sure that there should be no other facebook and there future gets secured.

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Sriharsha Polimetla 10 years 7 months ago

Having different prices for different content is ridiculous. It takes away the right to information. Also net neutrality should never be defined by the telecom companies. These days internet is no more a luxury but a necessity. If India is to become a truly developed nation it should behave like one too. Licences for Whatsapp and other VOIP apps? That is ridiculous

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Saurabh Wanivadekar 10 years 7 months ago

As has been said by nearly EVERYONE who is aware of this site telecom service providers have no right over what we access over the internet provided by them as we ARE PAYING to get the access already and in no way should different services or same services provided by different companies be priced differently.As for any alternative method to provide free internet access to consumers TSP's can do that with their own generosity, and not by transfering the costs to someone else's account.

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Akshay Bhutoria 10 years 7 months ago

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Akshay_187 10 years 7 months ago

We should have the right to choose what we want to access on the internet with no charges if i pay for internet pack. There should be no extra charges or different charges to access any website at anytime. We don't want net neutrality to be defined by telecom companies. Also the email ID which was registered before is not getting any OTP to login, my some frnds too have this issue when login

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Chakradhar_3 10 years 7 months ago

Organisation's want to make profits by bringing net neutrality. We don't want net neutrality to be defined by telecom companies. We don't want telecom companies controlling what we access on the internet and we don't want different charges for different websites. We want to be able to access anything, at any time, without having to pay for it separately. We don't want licensing for any app. We don't want differential pricing. We want net neutrality in the real sense.

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SUBHASH CHANDRA MALLICK 10 years 7 months ago

Sir, When maximum illiterate people/shop keepers are providing Mobile top-up or recharging other people mobile or to say "ease recharge" from their mobile very comfortably, then all people will operate money transfer from mobile. So it is my request to govt to stop/use-of paper currency or metal coins. all transfer and use of money should be made by mobile. for example I have to pay Rs. 100/- to some one then I have to recharge/transfer/RTGS/NEFT from my mobile.

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Richa Upadhyay_3 10 years 7 months ago

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RAMA RANI 10 years 7 months ago

rates r higher,consumer is getting less but he wants.private sector starts looting always in the name of quality and service etc,we feel deceived.today computer,internet is is the need of hour,so govt. should take initiative,same price for same thing can be the policy.so people may not feel to be fools.every thing should be regular.

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