Airtel Priority PlanImage Credit source: Piotr Swat/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Bharti Airtel, while presenting its stand regarding its new priority postpaid service before a committee of the Department of Telecommunications (DOT), has said that this service based on 5G network slicing technology neither violates the net neutrality rules nor affects the service quality of prepaid customers.
In response to the clarification sought by the Committee on Communications and Information Technology, Airtel said that if it is not allowed to provide services using the core features of 5G, the prospects of 6G in the country will be harmed.
what is the whole matter
Airtel in its response said, Priority Postpaid has been implemented in a completely content-neutral manner and is in line with the existing framework of TRAI and DOT. This does not include blocking any application, reducing speed, giving priority based on content, zero-rating or giving special benefits to any application. Airtel launched priority postpaid plans on May 19. The company says that under these plans, postpaid customers will experience consistent and stable speeds even in congested areas.
There will be no impact on customer service
The company clarified that the Airtel Priority feature does not affect the service quality of any customer, whether prepaid or postpaid. Airtel told the committee that currently the total 5G capacity utilization during peak hours is about 38 percent. The share of postpaid traffic in this is about 4 percent, which can increase to about 6 percent if virtual slice is implemented for priority postpaid. Airtel clarified that approximately 60 percent of the total capacity will be additionally available for prepaid and other non-priority traffic. This makes it clear that priority postpaid service does not and cannot affect the service quality of prepaid customers.
