It's a free world: Netizens win Neutrality battle

 

Wednesday, 15 April 2015 - 7:45am IST | Place: New Delhi | Agency: dna | From the print edition

 

Many times in the past, Netizens have brought the mightiest of the mighty to knees. They did it again on Tuesday. The uproar over the disruption of Net Neutrality, which means non-discriminatory access to all Internet users, forced leading e-commerce firm Flipkart to backtrack from entering into a deal with the largest telecom firm, Bharti Airtel, that would have given the former an edge over its competitors.
The e-commerce company was the first to jump on to Airtel Zero, an open marketing platform that will provide its users mobile apps for free, while recovering the cost from a revenue-sharing deal with app providers.
Airtel also rushed to extend its full support to a non-discriminatory Internet and clearing misconceptions on its marketing platform. "Airtel fully supports the concept of Net Neutrality. There have been some misconceptions about our toll-free data platform – Airtel Zero. It is a not a tariff proposition but an open marketing platform," it said.
It further added that Flipkart's decision not to offer toll-free data service to its customers was consistent with theirs that Airtel Zero was not a tariff proposition.
There was a similar occurrence last year, too, when Airtel had to retrace its step after announcing that it would start charging for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services like Skype, Line and Viber.
It did so because of the backlash from Internet users. From the whiff of the ongoing debate, India's stand on the issue could well be shadowing the US', where a majority of the Net users favour 100% open Internet.
Telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, while announcing the formation of a six-member panel for Net Neutrality, displayed his inclination towards an unfettered Internet.

Bengaluru-based telecom consultant G Krishna Kumar believes India may go in for a selective Net Neutrality approach or a middle path with adequate checks in place.
"Net Neutrality or not, the hyper competitive landscape in our country will ensure quality will prevail over free access," he said. 

Committee to look into Net Neutrality debate

Tuesday, 14 April 2015 - 7:00am IST | Place: New Delhi | Agency: dna | From the print edition

Praveena Sharma and Krishna Bahirwani

Net Neutrality, which means non-discrimination in providing Net access, has captured the imagination of internet users. And anyone violating it is incurring a backlash so severe that it is putting him on the backfoot.

Despite a few misadventures, telcos including Bharti Airtel, Uninor and Reliance Communications are testing the waters by entering into tie-ups with e-commerce and social networking partners to provide free apps that could prove to be discriminating against other online players and restrict choices for internet consumers.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has also initiated the process of putting in place guidelines for the Net Neutrality in India after there was a resounding protest against Airtel’s attempt to smother it a month back. It has put a consultation paper on its website and invited public comments and feedback by April 24.
Interestingly, Rajan Mathews, director general of Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), said in the absence of best global practices, there widespread confusion on the issue.
He, however, said that the representative body of GSM players was all for non-discriminatory use of internet.
G Krishna Kumar, a Bangalore-based telecom professional, had a somewhat different view on the issue. He said India should look at a balanced approach and not blindly imitate the US.
“India certainly needs a clear Net-Neutrality framework, but we need a balanced approach and cannot copy from the US. Even if differential pricing or zero pricing is allowed for certain content, a guaranteed quality of service for accessing internet must be ensured,” he said.
While the US plans a strong Net Neutrality framework, Europe appears to have a contrasting view allowing for preferential treatment.
Krishna Kumar said India had to go for a different model as its market was different with operators getting just one-fifth of the spectrum compared to other countries and was price sensitive. Even in terms of average revenue per user (Arpu), it is less than 10% of the Arpu earned by operators in advanced countries.
Even Sajai Singh of law firm J. Sagar Associates (JSA) believes that the policy makers should not rush into coming out with guidelines without thinking it through.
“Net Neutrality should be thought through before being applied because, in addition to ethical issues, there are basic economic issues involved for the ISP (internet service providers) and any policy or regulation on it should address every interests and aspirations of all stakeholders,” said Sajai Singh of law firm  J. Sagar Associates (JSA).