Telecom operators have reportedly urged the government to review the 2016 net neutrality rules and align them with the 5G era. They have sought explicit support for network slicing, which would allow operators to charge a premium for higher speeds or assured quality of service to monetise their 5G networks.
Operators have submitted comments on net neutrality to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). They have requested the regulator to update the framework to support network slicing for tariff offerings such as a defined upload speed slice and a low latency gaming slice. These submissions were made as part of their views ahead of the upcoming spectrum auction.
The net neutrality rules were introduced in 2016 following public opposition to telecom operators offering free access to certain platforms such as Facebook, on the grounds that such practices were discriminatory and that internet access should remain equal for all users. However, operators are not seeking to remove these safeguards. Instead, they want the scope to be expanded to permit network slicing without affecting general internet usage.
Further, industry executives have stated that 5G network slicing does not breach neutrality principles, as existing rules prevent content-based discrimination, while slicing is technology driven. Network slicing, which is enabled through 5G standalone technology deployed by operators such as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, allows differentiated quality of service for specific use cases, including emergency services, stadiums and industrial sites, without impacting the broader network.
