What’s Net Neutrality?
It
is the principle that all traffic on the Internet must be treated equally by
Internet service providers. Those advocating Net neutrality believe all bits of
data are equal, and, therefore, should not be discriminated on the basis of
content, site or user. This has largely been the default mode since Internet
started.
Why has there
been so much of noise about Net neutrality in recent months?
First,
India’s top telecom company Bharti Airtel, towards the end of last year,
decided to charge subscribers extra for use of apps such as Skype and Viber.
These apps compete with the voice and messaging services of telecom providers,
and are even cheaper. There was uproar, after which Airtel stayed its decision,
saying it would wait for regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s
(TRAI) Consultation Paper on Regulatory Framework for Over-the-top (OTT)
services.
Then,
Facebook brought to India internet.org, a pre-selected bouquet of Web sites
offered free to subscribers of Reliance Communications. There was not much
controversy then.
The
buzz became really big after TRAI put out a 118-page consultation paper asking
the public for its opinion on 20 questions, most of them about how the Internet
can be regulated. Views were also sought on Net neutrality.
By
evening of Tuesday, over 4.2 lakh mails had been sent in support of Net
neutrality through the savetheinternet.in Web site. Political parties such as
the Congress, political leaders such as Arvind Kejriwal and celebrities such as
Shah Rukh Khan joined the bandwagon, as has the comedy group All India Bakchod
through a video. All of them argue why the Internet should not be touched. TRAI
will be open to taking comments till April 24, and counter comments by May 8.
In between all this, Airtel last week launched Airtel Zero, which is a free
offering of a slew of apps that sign up with the telecom provider. On Tuesday,
Flipkart pulled out of the platform after initially agreeing to be on it,
saying it was committed to Net neutrality.
Who benefits
from Net neutrality ? How ?
Every
Internet User. Think through how you would like to browse the Internet.
Wouldn’t you like to access the Web without worrying about how differently
videos will be charged compared to other forms of content? Wouldn’t you like to
access the Web without the telecom service provider getting to serve some sites
faster than others? If yes for both, you are pro-Net neutrality.
New
ventures benefit too. In fact, one of the key reasons for start-ups to have
come up in a big way in recent decades is the openness of the Internet. The
Internet has reduced transaction costs and levelled the playing field.
A
start-up can come up with an app today, and can immediately attract a global
audience. The likes of Googles and Facebooks could have struggled to grow if
the Internet had not been open.
Then, why do
we need to think about regulating the Internet?
Essentially
because the telecom companies do not like the way the apps are riding on their
networks for free. The companies complain that voice-calling and messaging apps
are cannibalising on their business. On top of all this, it is they who have to
invest billions in getting access to spectrum and build networks as also adhere
to regulations.
So,
absence of Net neutrality will benefit telecom companies?
It
could make them a gatekeeper to a valuable resource, a role that supporters of
Net neutrality feel will be misused to create winners and losers. They could
charge companies a premium for access to users.
It
would not be a telecom companies versus internet players issue, as could be
mistakenly perceived. For, the absence of Net neutrality could also benefit
established Internet companies who are flush with money. They could nip
challengers in the bud with vastly higher payoffs to telecom companies.
Is this an
issue in India alone?
No.
The Federal Communications Commission just recently voted for what is seen as strong
Net neutrality rules. This is to ensure Internet service providers neither
block, throttle traffic nor give access priority for money. Europe is trying to
correct a 2013 proposal for Net neutrality, in which privileged access was
allowed to ‘specialised services.’ This was vague and threatened Net
neutrality. Chile last year banned zero-rated schemes, those where access to
social media is given free to telecom subscribers.
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