TOBEPUBLISHEDINTHEGAZETTEOFINDIA,
EXTRAORDINARY,PARTIII,SECTION4
TELECOMREGULATORYAUTHORITYOFINDIANOTIFICATION
NEWDELHI,8
T
FEBRUARY,2016
PROHIBITIONOFDISCRIMIN TORYT RIFFSFORD T SERVICES
REGULATIONS 2 16
(No.2of2016)
Inexerciseofthepowersconferreduponitundersub-section
1
ofsection36,
readwithsub-clause i ofclause b ofsub-section
1
andsub-section
2
ofsection
11,
oftheTelecomRegulatoryAuthorityofIndiaAct,
1997(24
of
1997),
theTelecomRegulatoryAuthorityofIndiaherebymakesthefollowing
regulations,namely:-
CHAPTERI
PRELIMIN RY
1 Shorttitleandcommencement
(1)Theseregulationsmaybecalledthe
ProhibitionofDiscriminatoryTariffsforDataServicesRegulations,2016(2of
2016)..
(2)TheyshallcomeintoforceonthedateoftheirpublicationintheOfficial
Gazette.
2 Definitions
(1)Intheseregulations,unlessthecontextotherwise
requires,-
(a) Act meanstheTelecomRegulatoryAuthorityofIndiaAct,1997(24
of1997);(b) Authority meanstheTelecomRegulatoryAuthorityofIndia
establishedundersub-section(1)ofsection3oftheAct;
(c) closedelectroniccommunicationsnetwork meansa
communicationsnetworkwheredataisneitherreceivednor
transmittedovertheinternet;
(d) consumer meansaconsumerofaserviceproviderandincludesits
customersandsubscribers;
(e) content includesallcontent,applications,servicesandanyother
data,includingitsend-pointinformation,thatcanbeaccessedor
transmittedovertheinternet;
-
(f) dataservices meansservicesofferedorprovidedtoaconsumer
usinganyequipment,technologyormedium,includingwirelessand
wirelinetechnologies,toaccessortransmitdataovertheinternet;
(g) discriminatorytariffsfordataservices meanschargingofdifferent
tariffsbyaserviceproviderfordataservicesbasedonthecontent
accessed,transmittedorreceivedbytheconsumer;
(h) internet meansaglobalinformationsystemthatis:
(i)logicallylinkedtogetherbyagloballyunique
address,basedonInternetProtocol(IP)orits
subsequentenhancementsorupgradations;
(ii)abletosupportcommunicationsusingthe
TransmissionControlProtocol/InternetProtocol
(TCP/IP)suiteoritssubsequentenhancementsor
upgradations,orotherIPcompatibleprotocols;
(i) licence meansalicencegrantedorhavingeffect asifgrantedunder
section4oftheIndianTelegraphAct,1885(13of1885);
U)
licensee meansanypersonlicensedundersub-section(1)ofsection
4oftheIndianTelegraphAct,1885(13of1885)forprovidingspecifiedpublictelecommunicationservices;(k) regulations meanstheProhibitionofDiscriminatoryTariffsfor
DataServicesRegulations,2016;
(1) serviceprovider meanstheGovernmentasaserviceproviderand
includesalicensee;(m) tariff meanstheratesandrelatedconditionsatwhichdataservicesareofferedorprovidedbytheserviceprovider,includingfreedata,usagecharges,refunds,installationfees,deposits,rentals,and
anyotherrelatedfeesorservicecharges.(2)Allotherwordsandexpressionsusedintheseregulationsbutnotdefined,
anddefinedintheActorrules,regulationsandordersmadethereunder,shall
havethemeaningsrespectivelyassignedtothemintheActorsuchrules,
regulationsororders,asthecasemaybe.
CH PTERIIPROHIBITIONOFDISCRIMIN TORYT RIFFSFORD T SERVICES
3.
Prohibitionofdiscriminatorytariffs
(1)Noserviceprovidershalloffer
orchargediscriminatorytariffsforda:services~fcontent.
(2)Noserviceprovidershallenterintoanyarrangement,agreementor
contract,bywhatevernamecalled,withanyperson,naturalorlegal,thathas
theeffectofdiscriminatorytariffsfordataservicesbeingofferedorchargedto
theconsumeronthebasisofcontent:
rovi e
thatthisregulationshallnotapplytotariffsfordataservicesover
closedelectroniccommunicationsnetworks,unlesssuchtariffsareofferedor
chargedbytheserviceproviderforthepurposeofevadingtheprohibitionin
thisregulation.
(3)ThedecisionoftheAuthorityastowhetheraserviceproviderisin
contraventionofthisregulationshallbefinalandbinding.
4.Exemptionforcertaincontent.-Notwithstandinganythingcontainedin
regulation3,aserviceprovidermayreducetariffforaccessingorproviding
emergencyservices,orattimesofgravepublicemergency:
rovi e
thatsuchtariffshallbereportedtotheAuthoritywithinseven
workingdaysfromthedateofimplementationofthereducedtariffandthe
decisionoftheAuthorityastowhethersuchreducedtariffqualifiesunder
thisregulationshallbefinalandbinding.
CHAPTERIIIMISCELLANEOUS
r
5.Consequencesofcontraventionoftheseregulations.-(1)Ifaservice
providerisincontraventionoftheseregulations,theAuthoritymay,without
prejudicetothetermsandconditionsoflicence,ortheActorrulesor
regulationsorordersmade,ordirectionsissued,thereunder,directthe
serviceprovidertowithdrawsuchtariffandalsoordersuchserviceprovider
topay,bywayoffinancialdisincentive,anamountofrupeesfiftythousand
foreachdayofcontravention,subjecttoamaximumofrupeesfiftylakh:
rovi e
thatnoorderforpaymentofanyamountbywayoffinancialdisincentiveshallbemadebytheAuthorityunlesstheserviceproviderhasbeengivenareasonableopportunityofrepresentingagainstthecontravention
oftheregulation.(2)Theamountpayablebywayoffinancialdisincentiveunderthese
regulationsshallberemittedtosuchheadofaccountasmaybespecifiedby
theAuthority.6.Review.-TheAuthoritymayreviewtheseregulationsaftertheexpiryofa
periodoftwoyearsfromthedateonwhichtheseregulationscomeintoeffect,
oronanyearlierdateasitmaydeemfit.7.Interpretation.-Incaseofanydoubtregardinginterpretationofanyofthe
provisionsoftheseregulations,thedecisionoftheAuthorityshallbefinaland
binding.
8.Savings.-Nothingcontainedintheseregulationsshallaffectanypacks,
plansorvoucherswithunexpiredvaliditysubscribedbyaconsumerbefore
thedateofcommencementofthesere~ation~