Facebook is now a member of COAI

COAI or the Cellular Operators Association of India has accepted Facebook India as one of its associate members. The acceptance of Facebook by COAI is not something new as telecom equipment manufacturers and other communications services are indeed represented by the Indian association.

However, the joining has come at a time when the telecom industry is heated with a net neutrality debate. The issue has to do with several main members of COAI currently lobbying with TRAI or the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India in order to regulate web-based communications apps like Facebook, BBM and WhatsApp amongst others.

The argument presented by telecom giants is that networking applications also known as over-the-top (OTT) offerings use data to function. They are minting a lot of money by using telecom networks. They are also being unreasonably cranky about expecting a share of the profits when they already benefit due to customers signing up for data plans to access OTT content.

However Facebook is sticking to point that internet access should be free for all. It's hence somewhat of a surprise that the social networking giant has joined a body whose main members include telecom operators like Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular. Ankhi Das, the public policy director in India and South Asia for the social network, asserted that becoming an associate member of the COAI affirms the company's focus on mobile technologies and its desire to collaborate with the industry to increase connectivity.