The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has not provided immediate clarity on whether net neutrality rules will apply to 5G network slicing. The regulator has chosen to adopt a wait and watch approach to assess the situation.
Telecom operators have urged the government to review the existing net neutrality framework and explicitly permit network slicing. They consider slicing to be important for monetising 5G services. Network slicing involves creating multiple virtual networks over a shared physical 5G infrastructure to deliver customised services.
Critics argue that such differentiation in quality of service could go against the principle of net neutrality. This may include tariff offerings such as speed-based plans, dedicated low latency plans for gaming, and specialised slices for industrial automation.
As per Industry executives participating in the discussions, network slicing and net neutrality can coexist under the current framework. The technology operates on 5G standalone architecture, deployed by Reliance Jio and partly by Bharti Airtel, and enables telecom operators to offer differentiated services using their 5G networks.
