Airtel seeks TRAI nod for planned exclusive content serviceMumbai, Apr 26(AZINS) Bharti Airtel wrote to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday, seeking counsel on a deal the company is planning to enter into with a global content provider.

“We wish to bring to your kind attention that we have been approached by one of the big global content providers who wishes to offer their video content on exclusive basis over the closed electronics communications network (CECN) of Airtel,” the company wrote to TRAI secretary Sudhir Gupta, in what seems to be a move to avoid any controversy on net neutrality. “Such exclusive content would be offered in India to Airtel's customers only. Prior to arriving at any business decision on such an arrangement, we request the honourable authority to kindly advise us if we can go ahead with it.”

The letter went on to read, "We further submit that while such an arrangement with the global content provider over CECN along with its exclusive offerings to our customers would be compliant to the regulations, it may well be viewed by some stakeholders in violation of principles of net neutrality.”

Airtel faced massive public backlash last year when it attempted to introduce a new “Airtel Zero” plan that allowed customers to access certain mobile apps for free with charges being borne by the app makers. This followed close on the heels of criticism of Reliance Communications’ partnership with Free Basics by Facebook, which provided first-time smartphone users with limited access to the internet for free. TRAI eventually sided with public outrage, banning any form of discriminatory pricing of data content.

If Airtel’s new planned service is as straightforward as it implies, the company need not fear butting heads with the telecom watchdog. Exclusive content services that are opt-in add-ons, as opposed to essential features of the internet, are nothing new. However, given the public outcry the entire net neutrality debate generated, one can hardly blame the telecom provider for being cautious with its bets.