Reliance communication (RCom), Facebook’s partner for Free Basics has decided to make it a paid platform.
Just days after Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ruling on differential pricing--in direct odds with Facebook’s Free Basics--Reliance communication (RCom), Facebook’s partner for the app has decided to make it a paid platform.
RCom’s decision is not in favour of Facebook’s objective to give everyone in the world free access to basic Internet services.
TOI reported that a spokesman from RCom said that the new endeavour is, “To be fully compliant with the new regulations announced by TRAI, RCom has begun the process of re-configuring access to Free Basics, from the current free regime to a chargeable one, as per the existing data plans of our customers,”
Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook suffers a huge drawback with RComs resolution on Free Basics, though Zuckerberg has made his stance on the matter clear in a statement.
Shortly after TRAI’s judgement on differential pricing, Zuckerberg said, "While we're disappointed with today's decision, I want to personally communicate that we are committed to keep working to break down barriers to connectivity in India and around the world. Internet.org has many initiatives, and we will keep working until everyone has access to the Internet."
"Today India's telecom regulator decided to restrict programs that provide free access to data. This restricts one of Internet.org's initiatives, Free Basics, as well as programs by other organizations that provide free access to data," added Zuckerberg.
Facebook has now decided to release Free Basics to all cellular network providers, not restricting it to RCom as their previous plans suggested. The service will be available on regular network plans from cellular companies such as Vodafone and Idea.
The Free Basics service can now be downloaded from the Google Play Store to any Android device, in which its component services can be used, though at regular data rates your phone utilises. Which basically makes it an app suite, minus the key 'free' component it was initially aimed at offering.
Facebook has reportedly spent about $45 million on advertising campaigns to promote Free Basics on billboards and newspapers.
While the very nomenclature of Free Basics implies an absence of any cost associated with the service, the fact that it is now going to be available at a cost on cellular networks is contradictory.
Stay tuned as more details unfold around this issue.
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