Bharti Airtel has introduced a new network slicing technology that prioritizes 5G experience for postpaid customers, raising concerns about net neutrality.
The technology subdivides the 5G network into multiple virtual networks, creating different lanes for traffic from specific users, devices, and based on network congestion.
Airtel CEO Shashwat Sharma said, 'Priority Postpaid is our latest innovation powered by the 5G slicing technology. It provides a superior, more reliable, and dependable experience to our customers.'
However, this move has sparked concerns about the impact on prepaid users and whether it violates the net neutrality rules set by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
TRAI's rules prohibit discriminatory pricing, blocking or throttling of specific websites, apps, or services, and commercial prioritization to speed up traffic for certain content or applications.
Airtel can argue that it is not violating any of these directives, but the prioritization of postpaid users could benefit apps being used, including Airtel's own Xstream Play streaming app and bundled subscriptions.
Network slicing is deployed extensively by telecom networks in various countries, including the US, UK, Singapore, and Malaysia.
