Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has responded to the news that India's telecom regulator has banned the company's Free Basics program.
Free Basics, which began as part of Facebook's Internet.org project, allowed subscribers to Reliance -- the biggest telecom in India -- free access to Internet services.
In a Facebook post on Monday, Zuckerberg wrote that "while we're disappointed with today's decision, I want to personally communicate that we are committed to keep working to break down barriers to connectivity in India and around the world."
He added that "connecting India is an important goal we won't give up on, because more than a billion people in India don't have access to the internet."
On Monday, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) banned the practice of charging different rates for different kinds of data. TRAI said its decision was "guided by the principles of net neutrality."
The program was criticized by net neutrality advocates in India who said that Facebook was essentially becoming a gatekeeper as to what services could be accessed for free. TRAI had invited comments on the issue in December.
Last month, TRAI itself pilloried Facebook's campaign, accusing the company of turning the consultation process into a "crudely majoritarian and orchestrated opinion poll."
You can read Zuckerberg's full Facebook post below.
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