Top News

Why Airtel's 5G priority postpaid plan is under TRAI scanner
29 May 2026

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has questioned Bharti Airtel's 5G Priority Postpaid service, a move that has raised net neutrality concerns.

The meeting was attended by over 10 TRAI officials, including three principal advisors from different departments.

The discussion centered around Airtel's use of "fast lane" technology for its priority postpaid plans and whether the service could violate net neutrality rules or affect service quality for non-priority users.

Airtel yet to submit details of new offering to TRAI
Regulatory requirements

TRAI's rules mandate operators to inform the regulator about new plans or changes to existing ones within seven working days. This is done so that TRAI can assess pricing and fairness.

However, as of Wednesday evening, Airtel had not submitted details of its new offering to the regulator.

An Airtel executive said the company has followed every rule and there has been no tariff change.

Telecom industry divided over network slicing technology for premium services
Mixed responses

The telecom industry is divided over the use of network slicing technology for premium services.

Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have sought regulatory consultations and government clearance before such services are commercially launched in India.

Vodafone Idea has even called the service discriminatory, saying it could come at the cost of prepaid subscribers.