Net Neutrality stance to be finalised in a couple of months: Trai

Telecom regulator Trai expects to finalise its view on Net neutrality in “a couple of months”.

“DoT has sought a comprehensive view from us on Net neutrality. It should be done in a couple of months,” Trai Chairman R S Sharma said on the sidelines of an event of the CASBAA India Forum.

Net neutrality essentially means no discriminatory treatment by Internet service providers in terms of applications and content that are carried through them.

The whole debate started after Airtel decided to charge separately for Internet-based calls, but withdrew its plan later after facing public protests. Also, Internet activists and experts flayed its zero-rated platform Airtel Zero, along with Facebook’s Free Basics.

In February, Trai banned such arrangements that allowed discriminatory pricing of data services.

“No service provider shall offer or charge discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content,” Trai said in its regulations for ‘Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services’.

The regulations, however, do not address various other concerns related to Net neutrality in India such as throttling of Internet speed, regulatory framework for Net-based calling and messaging applications.