Data Pricing

Rising cost of data hinders rapid digitisation: MoS IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Rising prices of data and devices are a concern for the rapid proliferation of digitisation, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Wednesday. The comments have come against the backdrop of a recent hike of about 57 per cent in the minimum monthly recharge plan by the country's second-largest telco Bharti Airtel. "Rise in cost of data or cost of devices are of concern because they are impediments in rapid digitisation," Chandrasekhar said. The minister said that he is not exactly aware of the hike in mobile services rates by Airtel and the ministry may approach telecom regulator Trai to examine if the hike is going to have a short-term or long-term impact. He said that there has been an impact on prices across the world due to the Russia-Ukraine war and the impact of data price need to be examined. Bharti Airtel has increased the price of its minimum recharge for the 28-day mobile phone service plan by about 57 per cent to Rs 155 in eight circles, ..

Data price hikes limited Facebook user growth in India, says Meta

Increase in data rates in India limited the user growth of Meta (formerly Facebook) in the December 2021 quarter, the social media major said. Telecom companies Bharti Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Reliance Jio had increased their mobile service rates in the range of 18 to 25 per cent in the December quarter. The profit of Meta declined by 8 per cent to USD 10.28 billion in the December 2021 quarter, from USD 11.21 billion in the same period a year ago. "Facebook user growth was impacted by a few headwinds in the fourth quarter. In Asia-Pacific and Rest of World, we believe Covid resurgences during prior periods pulled forward user growth. User growth in India was also limited by an increase in data package pricing. "In addition to these factors, we believe competitive services are negatively impacting growth, particularly with younger audiences," Meta's Chief Financial Officer Dave Wehner said during an earnings call. Its monthly active users (MAUs), however, grew 4 per cent on an an

Parliament panel to question Facebook on WhatsApp's privacy terms: Report

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in a Jan. 18 email to WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart, had said the new privacy policy terms take away choice from Indian user

Economic Survey suggests govt can monetise citizen's data as a public good

The government would be able to improve targeting in welfare schemes and subsidies by reducing errors, the Survey said

COAI contests Trai clamp on differential data pricing

The lobby group argues differential data pricing was allowed for years