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Facebook Launched “Express Wi-fi” Under Internet.org in India

27Nov By AdityaNo Comments

INDIA, News

Facebook Launched “Express Wi-fi” Under Internet.org in India

Months after it received flak for allegedly violating net neutrality with Free Basics, social networking giant Facebook is now testing a new model for public Wi-Fi deployments for offering quality internet access in rural parts of the country. According to Facebook's Internet.org page, the company's "Express Wifi" is live in India and it is "working with carriers, internet service providers and local entrepreneurs to help expand connectivity to underserved locations around the world". "...are expanding to other regions soon," it added. However, Facebook did not indicate if the Wi-Fi will provide limited access of a few websites, like its Free Basics, or provide full access. Express Wifi empowers local entrepreneurs to help provide quality internet access to their neighbours and mak...

Trai Issues Pre-Consultation Paper on Net Neutrality

31May By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

INDIA

Trai Issues Pre-Consultation Paper on Net Neutrality

Telecom regulator Trai today issued pre-consultation paper on net neutrality, a topic that had kicked up dust earlier this year over platforms like Facebooks Free Basics and Airtel Zero as well as attempts to charge certain Internet services, including calls. Seeking to put in place an overall framework for Internet usage in the country, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said: "This pre-consultation paper is an attempt to identify the relevant issues in these areas, which will help Trai in formulating its views on the way forward for policy or regulatory intervention." There has been a conflict between telecom operators, Internet companies and consumers interest on the issue of net neutrality. While all the three major stakeholders - telecom operators, Internet compani...

Net Neutrality: Facebook Shuts Free Basics Programme in India

11Feb By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

News

Net Neutrality: Facebook Shuts Free Basics Programme in India

New Delhi: In a boost to net neutrality, Facebook has decided to shut down its controversial 'Free Basics' programme in India, following telecom regulator Trai's move to bar operators from charging different rates for Internet access based on content. Facebook had met with severe criticism for its programme, which aimed at providing basic Internet access to people in partnership with telecom operators. Critics saw this as violation of the principle of net neutrality that states that entire Internet should be available to everyone on equal terms as Free Basics allowed access to selected websites. "Free Basics is no longer available to people in India," a Facebook spokesperson said in an emailed response. The service was available in India with Reliance Communications. In Decembe...

RIP Facebook Free Basics, TRAI Supports Net Neutrality

8Feb By PriyankaNo Comments

News

RIP Facebook Free Basics, TRAI Supports Net Neutrality

Indian Entrepreneurs will be too happy this time. Reason? Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), has finally put to rest the differential pricing debate for at least two years. TRAI on Monday said that no company or offer to charge discriminatory tariff for data on basis of content effective immediately. India’s telecom regulator TRAI says no company to offer/charge discriminatory tariffs for data on basis of content - TV— Reuters India (@ReutersIndia) February 8, 2016 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js The regulator, which warned the operators that they cannot enter into any arrangement based on discriminatory pricing, also said that financial disincentives of Rs. 50,000-50 Lakh will be charged If TRAI regulations were violated. TRAI Releases its Regulations on &q...

Trai Set to Reject Differential Pricing For Data, Free Basics and Airtel Zero Services

30Jan By NitishNo Comments

News

Trai Set to Reject Differential Pricing For Data, Free Basics and Airtel Zero Services

A big move taken by Trai (Telecom Regulator of India) is ready to reject differential pricing for data services. This move will end the debate on Facebook's Free Basics and Airtel Zero Services. Specially as a huge setback for Facebook, which has spend 300 crores on free basics support Advertisement. The order is also expected to bar free or subsidised data packages that offer access to only a select services, such as Facebook, Twitter or WhatsApp messenger. "These are discriminatory and are against the concept of digital democracy. We will not allow them," a source said to TOI.(Source)

Nearly 700 Startup Founders Urge PM Modi to Defend Net Neutrality

27Jan By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

News

Nearly 700 Startup Founders Urge PM Modi to Defend Net Neutrality

NEW DELHI- Hundreds of startups, including bigger players like Zomato, Cleartrip, Paytm and their employees, have approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi to defend net neutrality, which they define it as access to content on the internet without any discrimination. "We urge you to ensure that the recently announced initiative, Start-Up India, addresses the concern of net neutrality, with clearly defined policies and firm rules," the letter said. Around 500 people have signed the letter including Zomato founder Deepinder Goyal, Cleartrip founder Hrush Bhatt, XYSEC LABS founder Subho Halder, iSPIRT Foundation co-founder Sharad Sharma and Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma. There are 1,467 signatories to the letter, including 681 founders of various startups. Startups expressed gr...

Will take structured view on net neutrality: Ravi Shankar Prasad

10Jan By Press Trust of IndiaNo Comments

INDIA

Will take structured view on net neutrality: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Asserting the government's stand on non-discriminatory access to internet, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Sunday said the issue of net neutrality is being debated by Trai and its report is awaited, following which a final view will be taken. "The issue of net neutrality is being debated by the Trai (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) and we have to await the Trai report. Thereafter, the government will take its structured view," Prasad told reporters here. Amid a raging debate on providing equal internet access to all, the government had last year set up an expert panel to look into the issues of net neutrality. Net neutrality implies that equal treatment be accorded to all internet traffic and no priority be given to an entity or company based on payment to content o...

Money vs Volunteer: Facebook Loosing battle against Net Neutrality, 300 Crores Ads will Go in Vain

9Jan By PriyankaNo Comments

News

Money vs Volunteer: Facebook Loosing battle against Net Neutrality, 300 Crores Ads will Go in Vain

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) discards over 14 lakh comments on the differential pricing policy through Facebook's Free Basics campaign. Slamming the campaign, the regulator body reached out to the supporters of Free Basics pointing towards the fact that the campaign supporters does not answer questions raised by TRAI in the consultation paper. TRAI has invited more comments on the consultation paper on 'Differential Pricing for Data Services' extending the deadline for views to January 7. The paper seeks to determine whether the free data and zerorating plans of telcos are misleading and violate net neutrality rules. As per reports, TRAI has received 18.27 lakh responses so far, some of which are through direct texts while about 14 lakh comments are through F...

Facebook fights for free Internet in India, global test-case

1Jan By No Comments

News

Facebook fights for free Internet in India, global test-case

Reuters: India has become a battleground over the right to unrestricted Internet access, with local tech start-ups joining the front line against Facebook Inc founder Mark Zuckerberg and his plan to roll out free Internet to the country's masses. The Indian government has ordered Facebook's Free Basics plan to be put on hold while it decides what to do. The program, launched in around three dozen developing countries, offers pared-down web services on mobile phones, along with access to Facebook's own social network and messaging services, without charge. But critics say the program, launched 10 months ago in India in collaboration with operator Reliance Communications, violates principles of net neutrality, the concept that all websites on the internet are treated equally. It wou...

Facebook’s Free Basics service suspended in Egypt

31Dec By No Comments

News

Facebook’s Free Basics service suspended in Egypt

Reuters: A Facebook-sponsored service that offers limited free Internet access was suspended in Egypt on Wednesday after a permit required from the government was not renewed, an official from the Telecommunications Ministry told Reuters. Facebook's Free Basics service, which aims to provide free access to Facebook and some partner websites in developing countries, was launched in Egypt two months ago by the mobile carrier Etisalat ETEL.AD. The official, who declined to be named, said Etisalat had only been granted a permit to offer the service for two months and that, when it expired on Wednesday, the service was suspended. The suspension was not related to security concerns, the official said. Etisalat said only that it would release a statement on Thursday. Social media w...

Zuckerberg makes renewed pitch for Free Basics service

28Dec By PriyankaNo Comments

News

Zuckerberg makes renewed pitch for Free Basics service

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on Monday made renewed pitch for its controversial Free Basics Internet service in yet another marketing blitz saying it protects net neutrality. Facebook's proposed Free Basics plan allows customers to avail of services like education, health care and employment listings through apps specially designed for this platform on their phones without a data plan but does not allow access to many services such as YouTube, Gmail, Google or Twitter. Zuckerberg appeared on a video to personally promote Free Basics and also wrote a personal appeal in one of the leading newspapers. While Free Basics allows users to access a small number of Web services without charge, it has been criticised by some for alleged violation of the principle of net neutrality, a co...