Vijay Shekhar Sharma urges TRAI to stop apps from being allowed on closed networks

Vijay Shekhar Sharma, the founder of Noida-based ecommerce company Paytm has urged TRAI to not allow apps on closed communication networks or intranets. He says that doing so would prevent the misuse of a clause in the new rule barring discriminatory pricing of data services.

"If a kind of content is available on the Internet, it can't be made available to a closed network at a differential price - that's the clarity we want," he told ET.

Sharma has asked TRAI to be specific in its definition of "closed communication electronic network (CECN)," which can prove to be a loophole in the regulator's recent order that bans discriminatory pricing, exempting data services offered over such intranets.

As of now, a closed communication network is the one that can be created without being directly connecting to the Internet.

Those who advocate net neutrality and free Internet are concerned that telcos can use this loophole to offer data services at differential rates.

TRAI chairman RS Sharma is of the view that the regulation clearly says that all content that is available on the Internet falls under the new regulation, but if a content that isn't on the Web, then that content won’t be governed by the rule.

Telecom companies have also asked for clarity on the clause that exempts data services offered over closed networks, so that they can be sure of no nuisances in the future.