Policy on net neutrality after Trai recommendations: Ravi Shankar Prasad

New Delhi: Government will finalise the policy on net neutrality after taking into account proposals of sectoral regulator Trai and the Department of Telecom's panel.

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said Trai recommendations on the issue are awaited, whereupon the government will take a final call.

"Government policy on net neutrality shall be finalised after taking into account recommendations of committee constituted by Department of Telecom (DoT) and recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) and other inputs to the government," Prasad said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

The minister said the Trai has recently released its regulation 'Prohibition of discriminatory tariffs for data services, Regulations, 2016 on February 8, which, inter alia, prohibits any service provider from offering or charging discriminatory tariffs for data services on the basis of content.

"Government is committed to core principles of net neutrality through appropriate policy response, as various other related issues of net neutrality are within its policy domain," Prasad said.

Net neutrality talks about equal treatment being accorded to all Internet traffic without any discrimination or priority to any company, content or service provider on the basis of payment.

A debate on the issue had begun last year after Airtel decided to charge separately for Internet-based calls but withdrew it later after people protested.