New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS): The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) on Wednesday said the differential pricing violates principles of net neutrality.

The IAMAI, with members like Google, Facebook and Twitter, said this in a response to a consultation paper released by the sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) earlier during the month on differential pricing.

"In addition to being against net neutrality, the differential pricing models suggested by TRAI prima facie also violate the regulator's own stated principles of intervening in pricing," IAMAI president Subho Ray said.

The industry body, in its submission, agreed that there was an urgent need to connect the billion unconnected people and narrow the digital and developmental divide.

This came right after the ongoing debate that started after Facebook's plan to launch Free Basics initiative in India.

Industrialist Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications (RCOM) on December 23 said that following the Indian telecom regulator's directive, the commercial launch of Facebook's Free Basics has been put on hold till it gets clearance.

"As directed by TRAI, the commercial launch of Free Basics has been kept in abeyance, till they consider all details and convey a specific approval," a Reliance Communications spokesperson said.

RCOM is the only telecom service provider offering Free Basics in India.