India reviews Airtel’s 5G slicing-based priority postpaid plan
India's government and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) are examining Airtel's new 'Priority Postpaid' service, which utilizes 5G network slicing to offer superior network experience to postpaid users. Authorities are investigating potential non-compliance with net neutrality norms and any deterioration of service quality for prepaid users. Airtel states internal tests show improved network experience for all users.
Key Takeaways
- Communications minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has already held a meeting on Airtel’s Priority Postpaid service, people aware of the matter told ET.
- TRAI may ask Bharti Airtel to explain how its 5G network slicing has been implemented for the new postpaid plan.
- Airtel says the service uses standalone 5G architecture and that weeks of internal testing showed better throughput and network experience for both pre- and postpaid users.
- The priority service targets Airtel’s postpaid base, which is about 7.75% of its 373 million mobile users in India.
- India has no specific rules on network slicing; TRAI’s September 2020 TMP recommendations were never notified by the DoT.
Why It Matters
Airtel’s Priority Postpaid rollout has moved from product launch to regulatory review, putting 5G network slicing under a formal net-neutrality lens in India. That matters because the service allocates a section of the network to postpaid users, and authorities are specifically checking whether prepaid users’ quality drops as a result. The broader policy gap is clear: India still lacks specific rules on network slicing, and TRAI’s 2020 traffic-management recommendations remain unnotified. Watch for whether TRAI asks Airtel for technical details or a demonstration of the slicing setup.
Read full article at economictimes.indiatimes.com