Regulators Review Premium Postpaid 5G Slicing Service
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Ministry of Communications have initiated an investigation into Bharti Airtel’s newly launched “Priority Postpaid” plans. The premium plans utilize Standalone 5G (5G SA) network slicing technology to allocate a dedicated, high-speed channel for premium subscribers, aiming to guarantee fast data speeds even during periods of heavy network congestion.
The regulatory review is focused on whether this service violates India’s net neutrality guidelines, which were finalized in 2018. While network slicing is a standard technical capability of 5G networks, regulators are evaluating whether prioritizing a specific class of users over prepaid customers creates an unfair “fast lane” that degrades the service quality of the broader consumer base.
Airtel Assures Compliance with Regulatory Framework
Bharti Airtel has maintained that the service is fully compliant with existing guidelines, stating that net neutrality rules prohibit discrimination based on the content or application accessed, rather than differentiation based on quality of service tiers. Telecom equipment vendors have also supported the technology, arguing that network slicing is essential for telcos to monetize their heavy 5G infrastructure investments. TRAI has requested detailed technical data from Airtel to assess the impact on non-priority users.
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