Facebook ‘disappointed’ over shutdown of Egypt service that provided free

India has become a battleground for Mark Zuckerberg’s plan to roll out Facebook’s Free Basics program with the telecom regulator or TRAI confirming that the plan is on hold till the end of January.

Free Basics, launched in more than 35 developing countries around the world, offers pared-down web services on mobile phones, without any charge.

In a letter drafted to the government watchdog Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, nine heads of startups including Paytm and Zomato urged the TRAI to ensure that Internet access was allowed but without differential pricing.

Another country has banned Facebook’s Free Basics program.

Facebook says more than three million people have petitioned the Indian regulator, TRAI, in support of Free Basics.

Facebook has never even advertised its own core product in India this heavily. In an attempt to get leverage from supporters, Facebook launched a lavish campaign to canvass support for Free Basics.

So, either Zuckerberg and his team wants everyone to start believing the internet access means Facebook access or they simply want to increase the number of users on their network.

This selective access and favoring some apps and sources of information over others goes against the basic principles of Net Neutrality according to detractors who oppose Facebook’s free basics.

The NGO, which has been co-petitioner in 2G spectrum allocation case of 2008, said that there may be some vested interests who are opposed to any move of providing anything free to the consumers.

Sharma further said that in the coming days the regulator will decide upon the broader policy steps on net neutrality. While this might not seem that of big a setback for Facebook, but if an adverse decision is issued in a net neutrality hearing scheduled for next month, FB might have to overhaul its Free Basics operations in India.

But critics say internet providers and mobile networks should not be offering cheaper or faster access to selected services.