Facebook Shuts Down Free Basics In India

Facebook today pulled the plug on its controversy-ridden 'Free Basics' programme in India, days after telecom regulator Trai barred operators from charging discriminatory rates for Internet access based on content.

"Free Basics is no longer available to people in India," a Facebook spokesperson said.

The service was offered in India in partnership with Reliance Communications and was earlier known as Internet.Org. While there was no reply from RCom to repeated queries in this regard, media reports said it takes up to 48 hours to stop such a service as several websites were involved as partners.

Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has also slammed Free Basics saying such differential pricing modes are "plainly not acceptable" and Internet should not become a monopoly of few.

After months long consultation process, triggered by the net neutrality debate, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) earlier this week barred operators from charging different rates for data access, dealing a blow to Free Basics and other such plans like Airtel Zero.

While Facebook had promoted Free Basics as a programme aimed at providing basic Internet access to people in partnership with telecom operators, critics slammed the service saying it violated the principle of net neutrality.

Launched in 2014, Facebook is running the programme across 17 countries.