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  India   TRAI extends deadline by January 7 as net row hots up

TRAI extends deadline by January 7 as net row hots up

| PAWAN BALI
Published : Dec 31, 2015, 12:02 am IST
Updated : Dec 31, 2015, 12:02 am IST

As the debate heats up in India over Facebook’s Free Basics, telecom regulator Trai on Wednesday extended by a week to January 7 the last date for getting feedback on its paper on differential data pr

Telecom Regulator Authority of India
 Telecom Regulator Authority of India

As the debate heats up in India over Facebook’s Free Basics, telecom regulator Trai on Wednesday extended by a week to January 7 the last date for getting feedback on its paper on differential data pricing. While Facebook has launched a marketing blitz across India to promote Free Basics, many others, including entrepreneurs, IIT and IISc professors and Internet association IAMAI have issued a statement against it, saying Free Basics violated the principle of Net neutrality.

According to some reports, Facebook founder Mark Zucke-rberg is calling entrepreneurs directly to garner support for Free Basics in India, which is Facebook’s second-largest user base after the US, with around 130 million users.

Under Free Basics, users can access some websites including Facebook for free without paying Internet charges. The company says Free Basics is to introduce people to the value of the Internet through hundreds of free basic services, beyond Facebook. The issue of Free Basics flared up after Trai earlier this month issued a consultation paper.

Location: India, Delhi, New Delhi