Hi all, TRAI during the last week of May came up with this paper on free data http://www.trai.gov.in/WriteReadData/WhatsNew/Documents/CP_07_free_data_consultation.pdf The problem is with two options in the paper 1.Toll free data-This ption to give free data to citizens is based on a toll free platform.This toll free platform according to TRAI would be TSP agnostic i.e., it will not be specific to telcos but still this platform will or may have some website to which one can access.THis is very similar to what free basics was. 2.Another model suggested is something similar to Dirct benefit transfer to citizens similar to LPG but the catch here is again the tsp agnostic platform.According to TRAI anyone who visits that platform,his data will be monitored real time i.e., how much and which sites he visits and reimburse data accordingly. So we may think why again a platform(TSP agnostic or not) is being encouraged for providing curated websites eg. by some content provider like any ecommerce firm or anybody.The reason is clear from the TRAI chairmans statement here http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/we-had-a-problem-with-free-basics-because-it-gave-free-data-only-to-those-who-went-through-rcom-pipe-ram-sevak-sharma-116053000014_1.html According to TRAI they opposed free basics just because it was available only to a certain telco and not all telcos.Remeber this is like turning net neutrality and price differentiation on its head.If this goes through there would be new gatekeepers to our internet and this time it would be some ecommerce firms or google,facebook anybody with big pockets and creates the same issues that free basics created. This had been highlighted in the paper by DOT last year which menay of you had repliued to in which they say neither telcos nor content providers should be allowed to become gatekeepers. Alternatives:- 1.Yes the DBT scheme can be given but like some amount of free data every month across operators which can be refunded by the govt from the "Universal service obligation fund" and this is what most of us here had submitted in the previous consultations. No agnostic platform is needed to complicate and create loopholes for exploitation. 2.Add related refunds like watching ads and then gettingg refunded that amount of data. There are many such options mentioned to TRAI many times but yet they come up with this paper.Answer them and Save our internet from getting divided into tiers.Lets get everyone teh whole internet and not parts of it.Let TRAI and governement provide a DBT transfer for x amount of data every month on every operator and let the public decide what to use it for. Be ready to answer these questions.I hope you will take part in this consultation.Though repetetive but as i said we have to stand our ground till they understand that we will not allow our internet to be divided for corporations and giving sub standard internet.