A PYMNTS Company

India: Facebook’s ‘Free Basics’ service banned

By  |  February 9, 2016
India: Facebook’s ‘Free Basics’ service banned

Following serious controversy between Facebook and net neutrality advocates since long, the latter has finally won its claim to shut down free, albeit limited, Internet service in India. The Indian telecommunications regulator has banned the technology giant’s Free Basics service, reports the Wall Street Journal. The ban is effective from today, with rules that the company should charge same prices for accessibility to any website.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    The main issue with Free Basics was that it violates net neutrality rules, as the company gained unfair advantage over other Internet providers and made an uneven playing field by offering the service for free. There were also controversies on accessibility to limited websites and that only Facebook could control what could be accessible.

    The corporation, on the other hand, claimed the opposite by saying that the program was aimed to provide Internet service and connectivity to the population in India, which is currently deprived of any such service. Limited websites were offered considering the needs and Facebook’s potential of providing free services.

    Full content: First Post

    Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.