Indian regulator TRAI has temporarily suspended Facebook’s Free Basics service, TechCrunch reports. An email campaign by the social media network was criticized for being heavy-handed and misleading. Now Facebook’s partner Reliance Communications (RCom) has agreed to temporarily suspend Free Basics on its network after receiving a request from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
“As directed by TRAI, the commercial launch of Freebasics has been kept in abeyance, till they consider all details and convey a specific approval,” a Reliance representative said. “We are committed to Free Basics and to working with Reliance and the relevant authorities to help people in India get connected”, a Facebook spokesperson said.
