Trai Blocks Bharti Airtel Platinum and Vodafone Idea RedX Postpaid Plans

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has blocked the premium plans of Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea that promises faster data speeds and other priority services, ET Telecom reports. According to the report, the telecom regulator in a near identical letters dated July 11 asked the two telecom operators to “withhold, with immediate effect and until further orders” the two plans. The regulator is said to have asked the two telecom operators to withhold the plans “to facilitate a detailed examination of both schemes.” The report said that the telecom regulator has highlighted that such schemes could lower the quality of mobile services for those users who haven’t opted for premium plans.

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Trai Evaluates Whether Schemes Breach Net Neutrality Rules

Further, the report citing an unnamed Trai official said that the regulator is evaluating whether the schemes breach net neutrality rules. However, it was said that the letters said to the two telecom operators did not feature the net neutrality angle.

The decision from the regulator is said to have drawn a sharp reaction from Vodafone Idea with an senior unnamed official telling ET Telecom that the operator was “surprised” by the rapid decision.

Another senior Vodafone Idea executive is said to have told ET Telecom that “it’s shocking to receive a letter over the weekend, asking us to block our RedX plan without any opportunity to respond.” The executive at Vodafone Idea said that the decision from the regulator could lead to “inconvenience” to users.