At the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) recent open house discussion, stakeholders including the Broadband India Forum (BIF), Consumer Care Society, and MediaNama founder Nikhil Pahwa emphasized that 5G network slicing should not compromise net neutrality or degrade service quality for general consumers. The discussion addressed TRAI’s consultation on network slicing and quality of service in 5G networks, highlighting concerns over paid prioritization and service discrimination, according to medianama.com.
Debashish Bhattacharya, Additional Director General at BIF, stated that network slicing is a significant technological advancement that can coexist with net neutrality only if its deployment is transparent, non-discriminatory, and does not negatively impact the quality or availability of internet services for ordinary users. Meanwhile, telecom operators Airtel and Reliance Jio opposed TRAI’s proposed 21-day advance notice for new network slices and the 80% Physical Resource Block (PRB) utilization rule, reflecting differing views on regulatory measures.
The debate around network slicing is critical as it enables operators to create virtual networks tailored for specific applications or services within the 5G infrastructure. However, stakeholders warn that allowing application-specific quality on demand risks violating net neutrality principles, which prohibit paid prioritization based on content. The Broadband India Forum and others argue that network slicing must be managed carefully to avoid inferior service quality for regular internet users, underscoring the delicate balance between innovation and consumer rights.
TRAI’s consultation and the open house discussion represent key steps in shaping India’s 5G regulatory framework. The authority is expected to finalize guidelines that address these concerns, balancing technological progress with net neutrality protections. The final decision will influence how network slicing is implemented across India’s 5G networks, affecting millions of consumers and service providers.