NET NEUTRALITY-A
PUBLIC DEMAND
Network neutrality is the principle that ensures
competition in the online world. All content on the internet travels in the
form of data packets across the telecommunication networks around the world.
Net neutrality requires that all data traveling over the network be treated
equally.
Telecom companies, who own the infrastructure through
which data packets pass inter alia argue that they should have a right to
control this data flow and the 'freedom' to charge accordingly (to ensure that
certain data gets priority over another or that certain data is not carried at
all, etc).
They argue that since telecom companies spend large
amounts of money building the infrastructure (or the tubes through which data
packets pass), they should have a say over what content travels over or through
it and of course make more money from it. Network neutrality is the principle
according to which internet traffic shall be treated equally, without
discrimination, restriction, or interference regardless of its sender, recipient,
type of content, so that Internet users' freedom of choice is not restricted by
favoring or disfavoring the transmission of Internet traffic associated with
particular content, services, applications or devices.
In layman's term, net neutrality means the
internet that allows everyone to communicate freely. It means a service
provider should allow access to all content and applications regardless of the
source and no websites or pages should be blocked, as long as they aren't
illegal. It is like a fixed telephone line, which is equal to all and no one
gets to decide whom you call or what you speak. Another aspect of net
neutrality is the level playing field on the internet.
This means all websites can co-exist without hampering
others. All websites are accessible at the same speed and no particular website
of application is favored. For instance, electricity, common for all. Net
neutrality also means all websites and content creators are treated equally and
you don't have to pay extra for faster internet speed to a particular site or
service. The absence of net neutrality will change the face of the internet as
we've known it. It will force the Internet Service Providers (ISP) to charge
companies for services like YouTube or Netflix as they consume more bandwidth
and eventually the load of the extra sum will be pushed to the consumers.
Similarly, ISPs can then create slow as well as fast
internet lanes, which means all websites cannot be accessed at the same speed
and one can do only on paying an additional sum. For instance, currently, you
have a standard data package and access all the content at the same speed,
irrespective of whether it is an international website or national. Similarly,
ISPs can also charge extra for the free calls you make using services like
WhatsApp, Skype, and others, and eventually, a load of an additional payable
sum by the Over-The-Top (OTT) players will be pushed onto consumers.
Net neutrality is extremely important for small
business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs, who can simply launch their
businesses online, advertise and products and sell them openly, without any
discrimination.
It is essential for innovation and creating job
opportunities. Big companies like Google, Twitter, and several others are born
out of net neutrality. With increasing internet penetration in India and given
that we are becoming a breeding ground for startups and entrepreneurs, the lack
of net neutrality should worry us greatly. Besides, it is very important for
freedom of speech, so that one can voice their opinion without the fear of
being blocked or banned.
In the West, in 2010, the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) had passed an order to prevent Broadband Internet Service
Providers from blocking or meddling with the traffic on the web known as the
'Open Internet Order", it ensured the internet remained a level playing
field for all. FCC has approved 'net neutrality rules that prevent internet
providers such as Comcast and Verizon from slowing or blocking web traffic or
from creating internet fast lanes that content providers such as Netflix must
pay for. European Union member states have also been striving for net
neutrality.
In India, no law expressly mandates the maintenance of
a neutral internet. As of August 2015, no laws were governing net neutrality in
India, which would require that all internet users be treated equally, without
discriminating or charging differently by user, content, site, platform,
application, type of attached equipment, or mode of communication. There have
already been a few violations of net neutrality principles by some Indian
service providers.
On 10th February 2015, Facebook launched Internet.org
in India with Reliance Communications. It aims to provide free access to 38
websites through an app. Only Bing was made available as the search engine.
In April 2015, Airtel announced the 'Airtel Zero'
scheme. Under the scheme, app firms sign a contract and Airtel provides the
apps for free to its customers. The reports of Flipkart, an e-commerce firm,
joining the *Airtel Zero' scheme drew a negative response.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had
already released a formal consultation paper on Regulatory Framework for
Over-The-Top (OTT) services, seeking comments from the public. The consultation
paper was criticized for being one-sided and its ambiguity. It received condemnation
from various politicians and Indian Internet users.
TRAI issued another consultation paper on
differential pricing for data services. This was seen as a major improvement
over the previous consultation paper. However, the debate between telecom regulators
and OTT players refuses to die down.
Telecom regulators are of the view that OTT players
like WhatsApp, WeChat, etc are eating up the main revenue without investing in
networks; OTT players, on the other hand, defend themselves by demanding access
to web services without any discrimination.
TRAI took a revolutionary decision, prohibiting
telecom service providers from levying discriminatory rates for data, thus
ruling in favor of net neutrality in India. This move was welcomed not just by
millions of Indians but also by various political parties, business persons,
industry leaders, and the inventor of the World Wide Web.
The Internet, in its purest form, is a veritable
fountain of information. At its core lies a commitment to both openness and a
level playing field, where an ability to innovate is perennially maintained.
But one of the problems with Free Basics and indeed with Airtel Zero too, is
that the consumer has no choice in which websites he or she might want to
access free of cost.
Those who are arguing in favor of net neutrality see
this move as a laudable end that follows unethical means. They are not
resistant to the idea of greater penetration of the internet. According to
them, negating net neutrality, in a bid to purportedly achieve greater access
to the internet in the immediate future, could prove profoundly injurious in
the long run.
Network neutrality is the principle that ensures
competition in the online world. All content on the internet travels in the
form of data packets across the telecommunication networks around the world.
Net neutrality requires that all data traveling over the network be treated
equally.
Telecom companies, who own the infrastructure through
which data packets pass inter alia argue that they should have a right to
control this data flow and the 'freedom' to charge accordingly (to ensure that
certain data gets priority over another or that certain data is not carried at
all, etc).
They argue that since telecom companies spend large
amounts of money building the infrastructure (or the tubes through which data
packets pass), they should have a say over what content travels over or through
it and of course make more money from it. Network neutrality is the principle
according to which internet traffic shall be treated equally, without
discrimination, restriction, or interference regardless of its sender, recipient,
type of content, so that Internet users' freedom of choice is not restricted by
favoring or disfavoring the transmission of Internet traffic associated with
particular content, services, applications or devices.
In layman's term, net neutrality means the
internet that allows everyone to communicate freely. It means a service
provider should allow access to all content and applications regardless of the
source and no websites or pages should be blocked, as long as they aren't
illegal. It is like a fixed telephone line, which is equal to all and no one
gets to decide whom you call or what you speak. Another aspect of net
neutrality is the level playing field on the internet.
This means all websites can co-exist without hampering
others. All websites are accessible at the same speed and no particular website
of application is favored. For instance, electricity, common for all. Net
neutrality also means all websites and content creators are treated equally and
you don't have to pay extra for faster internet speed to a particular site or
service. The absence of net neutrality will change the face of the internet as
we've known it. It will force the Internet Service Providers (ISP) to charge
companies for services like YouTube or Netflix as they consume more bandwidth
and eventually the load of the extra sum will be pushed to the consumers.
Similarly, ISPs can then create slow as well as fast
internet lanes, which means all websites cannot be accessed at the same speed
and one can do only on paying an additional sum. For instance, currently, you
have a standard data package and access all the content at the same speed,
irrespective of whether it is an international website or national. Similarly,
ISPs can also charge extra for the free calls you make using services like
WhatsApp, Skype, and others, and eventually, a load of an additional payable
sum by the Over-The-Top (OTT) players will be pushed onto consumers.
Net neutrality is extremely important for small
business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs, who can simply launch their
businesses online, advertise and products and sell them openly, without any
discrimination.
It is essential for innovation and creating job
opportunities. Big companies like Google, Twitter, and several others are born
out of net neutrality. With increasing internet penetration in India and given
that we are becoming a breeding ground for startups and entrepreneurs, the lack
of net neutrality should worry us greatly. Besides, it is very important for
freedom of speech, so that one can voice their opinion without the fear of
being blocked or banned.
In the West, in 2010, the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) had passed an order to prevent Broadband Internet Service
Providers from blocking or meddling with the traffic on the web known as the
'Open Internet Order", it ensured the internet remained a level playing
field for all. FCC has approved 'net neutrality rules that prevent internet
providers such as Comcast and Verizon from slowing or blocking web traffic or
from creating internet fast lanes that content providers such as Netflix must
pay for. European Union member states have also been striving for net
neutrality.
In India, no law expressly mandates the maintenance of
a neutral internet. As of August 2015, no laws were governing net neutrality in
India, which would require that all internet users be treated equally, without
discriminating or charging differently by user, content, site, platform,
application, type of attached equipment, or mode of communication. There have
already been a few violations of net neutrality principles by some Indian
service providers.
On 10th February 2015, Facebook launched Internet.org
in India with Reliance Communications. It aims to provide free access to 38
websites through an app. Only Bing was made available as the search engine.
In April 2015, Airtel announced the 'Airtel Zero'
scheme. Under the scheme, app firms sign a contract and Airtel provides the
apps for free to its customers. The reports of Flipkart, an e-commerce firm,
joining the *Airtel Zero' scheme drew a negative response.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had
already released a formal consultation paper on Regulatory Framework for
Over-The-Top (OTT) services, seeking comments from the public. The consultation
paper was criticized for being one-sided and its ambiguity. It received condemnation
from various politicians and Indian Internet users.
TRAI issued another consultation paper on
differential pricing for data services. This was seen as a major improvement
over the previous consultation paper. However, the debate between telecom regulators
and OTT players refuses to die down.
Telecom regulators are of the view that OTT players
like WhatsApp, WeChat, etc are eating up the main revenue without investing in
networks; OTT players, on the other hand, defend themselves by demanding access
to web services without any discrimination.
TRAI took a revolutionary decision, prohibiting
telecom service providers from levying discriminatory rates for data, thus
ruling in favor of net neutrality in India. This move was welcomed not just by
millions of Indians but also by various political parties, business persons,
industry leaders, and the inventor of the World Wide Web.
The Internet, in its purest form, is a veritable
fountain of information. At its core lies a commitment to both openness and a
level playing field, where an ability to innovate is perennially maintained.
But one of the problems with Free Basics and indeed with Airtel Zero too, is
that the consumer has no choice in which websites he or she might want to
access free of cost.
Those who are arguing in favor of net neutrality see
this move as a laudable end that follows unethical means. They are not
resistant to the idea of greater penetration of the internet. According to
them, negating net neutrality, in a bid to purportedly achieve greater access
to the internet in the immediate future, could prove profoundly injurious in
the long run.