Bharti Airtel Ltd, the largest telecom company in the mobile segment has decided to charge extra money for using services such as Skype with the only aim to boost revenues. According to the company website, Internet or data plans that give customers discounted rates will only be valid for Internet browsing and will exclude Voice  over IP services include those such as Skype, Line and Viber that typically let users make free calls through the Internet. Airtel customers will now have to pay more on 2G network for making calls on Skype, Viber or other apps.

 No doubt this will be followed by other private telecom companies also sooner than later. India Infosec Consortium (IIC) which deals into cyber security and Internet governance related issues has severely criticized the telecom major. It has stated ” The telecom operators plans of segregating VoIP calls data and charging exponentially higher rates on them smells of SHEER GREED in its concepts itself. This will be against basic concepts of net neutrality. The very essence of technology and low cost Internet telephony needs to be cherished and protected”.

(source: The Hindu)