Applause for TRAI..!!

Many would have seen the notification about free basics in your facebook account in the past.Many clicked it & sent the letter to TRAI supporting freebasics without understanding what freebasics is all about.For each  click others too got the same message for their support as well.The campaign called 'Act Now to Save Free Basics in India' asked users to send a message on Facebook's behalf to TRAI which says, “I support Free Basics in India”.
I saw many of my friends who supported it.Indeed, Each mail they sent where the push from the users for Free Basics project that allows telecom companies free internet access to selected websites and app.Facebook has spent millions of dollars on advertising to promote its position and ran special banners in the news feeds of Indian users urging them to petition the government to allow Free Basics.I Tried to convince them a lot.Still many continued to send their support to TRAI. I feared whether it will  effect the  net neutrality in our country.Now I am relieved after TRAI's decision to uphold net neutrality.
                     TRAI   has laid down rules that strictly prohibit the differential pricing of data on the basis of content in India — which effectively bans zero-rating initiatives such as Facebook’s Free Basics and Airtel’s Airtel Zero programme..It is a setback for Mark Zuckerberg and the company, which has been working hard to win over India.
My opposition to Internet.org is not recent: Ever since it was announced, I have denounced its duplicitous name. Facebook still calls its efforts Internet.org across most of the world and paints it as a not-for-profit effort. .Facebook Free Basics isn’t a charity. People will pay for it with their data. It was  a way for Facebook to gather more attention and sell services and advertising to those who get Facebook’s Free Basics.

For now, TRAI, its Chairman R.S Sharma and the folks behind the Save the Internet movement can take a bow. TRAI also includes an enforcement clause in the ‘Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations, 2016’.  While specific details may still need to be worked out, these regulations will  go a long way in shaping  the future of India’s digital and Internet ecosystem.

#Save the internet wins #Thank you TRAI.