Deadline for public comments extended to January 7

While Free Basics is now on ice in Egypt and India, the program could make a comeback after regulators in each country have a chance to examine it. While Free Basics toes the line with net neutrality, it is hard to argue the benefits of bringing more people to the modern age, making the issue a worthwhile discussion for each nation in the program.

Regardless of the motivation, it’s clear that Egypt has joined the Indian government, activists from Latin America, and net neutrality advocates in standing between Internet.org and those it wishes to reach with Free Basics.

Free Basics was banned just before Christmas in India, with the local regulatory authority seeking more details about the service’s terms and conditions and, more importantly, how they relate to net neutrality. A final recommendation or a regulation on differential pricing of data services would be out by January-end.

Trai has so far got about 18.27 lakh responses, of which 8.9 lakh came through text and 5.44 lakh through Facebook mail supporting Free Basics. For example, Telecom provider Aircel has begun providing full internet access for free at 64 kbps download speed for the first three months.

The industry body has suggested as part of corporate social responsibility Internet companies should be allowed to provide free Net packs to users.

Over the past few weeks, Facebook has urged users in India to send a response to Trai, both through its social networking platform and through mobiles by dialling a number that automatically generates a response on the users’ behalf.

The authority had requested stakeholders “to provide comments on the specific questions raised in the consultation paper with justifications so as to formulate appropriate policy guidelines on differential pricing for data services”. It was suspended last week on the orders of, RS Sharma, the chairman of TRAI.

“Instead of recognising that Free Basics fully respects net neutrality, they claim – falsely – the exact opposite”.

Facebook has responded by promising strict data encryption and saying it will not bar any apps or developers from joining the Free Basics suite if they meet its technical requirements.

The statement comes on amid the ongoing debate that started after Facebook’s plan to launch Free Basics in India. The program was being used by over 3 million Egyptians.