Net Neutrality issue: NGOs, Mozilla oppose TRAI's free internet plan

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (TRAI) proposal to allow apps and websites to subsidise data to allow consumer to browse their products via rewards or free data may become a controversial issue in the coming days.

Mozilla Firefox and a number of other NGOs have opposed TRAI's proposal for free data. Telecom companies like Airtel, Vodafone and others are also against setting up a similar platform by a non-telecom entity.

"It is difficult to see how some of the models described in consultation comport with the equal-rating principles or with TRAI's previous regulatory guidance in the Data Services regulation. More specifically, we are concerned that the toll-free API and rewards-based incentives model threaten the open internet and would ultimately undermine TRAI goals of protecting Indian users," Deccan Chronicle quoted a statement by Mozilla as saying.

Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) say that free data should not be permitted in any form as it would provide benefit to ISPs/owners or aggregators with deep pockets.

Vodafone stated that if a telecom service provider agnostic platform is to be regulated "then why can a similar platform not be offered by TSPs who already operate under a regulatory framework."