The third-largest telecom operator has openly taken a stance opposing the move by its rival, promising to treat all its users with equal priority.
Also Read: Telecom industry divided on Airtel’s 5G priority plan; Jio, Vi call for regulatory clarity
“India’s digital growth has been built on the foundation of affordable and connectivity for all. At Vi, we strongly believe that every customer deserves a fair and consistent network experience. Offering preferential speeds or services based on user profile, raises questions around equity and principles of an equal digital ecosystem,” Avneesh Khosla, CMO, Vodafone Idea said in a statement.
He added that for India to continue its digital growth, even as the technology advances, it is important for innovation and monetisation models to keep the interests of all customers paramount, be transparent and most of all remain inclusive.
“Everyone is a priority with Vi. That’s why we’re continuously strengthening our network – We have added 2,20,000+ new towers, expanding Vi 5G in 110+ cities, and AI-based self-optimising network technology that intelligently adapts to help deliver stronger connectivity – even in crowded areas,” Vi said in a post on X, adding that a stronger network should feel strong for everyone, everywhere.
The company’s shares hit a 52-week high of Rs 14.29 on Wednesday. Since Airtel launched its priority plan utilizing 5G network slicing, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) as well as Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) have been examining the service for violations of net neutrality norms and non-discriminatory access to mobile consumers. Vi has said such priority plans should be put on hold till there is clarity. Country’s largest operator Reliance Jio has also said such plans should be rolled out only after proper consultation with the government.
Even as the authorities discuss the regulatory metrics, competition has been intensifying among the telcos to retain their premium subscribers from shifting to Airtel in a bid to get better services.
In response to Airtel’s priority postpaid plans, Reliance Jio also announced an aggressive prepaid plan on Wednesday bundling over 15 premium Over-The-Top (OTT) subscriptions and 1000+ live TV channels along with 30GB 4G data and unlimited 5G access for 28 days. The plan is priced aggressively at Rs 200.