“Net Neutrality” is creating a buzz in the market these
days. Everywhere, whether it is on social media platforms, news, or someplace
else, it is a topic of debate for all. Even film stars and politicians have
jumped the bandwagon and have expressed their views on Net Neutrality. Most
importantly, Telecom regulatory Authority of India, TRAI, which came up with a
paper on this issue last month, is also looking into the issue. So what exactly
is net neutrality and why does it matter?
Consider this:
In 2005, a Canadian company named Telus successfully barred
it’s Internet subscribers from accessing a website designed and run by a group
of employees who were on strike against their employer.
Does this seem fair or ethical?
In simple terms, net neutrality indicates that Internet
service providers (ISP) should treat all data on the Internet equally. There
should be no discrimination against any site, content or platform. In broader
terms, Internet service providers or telecommunication agencies should not be
allowed to engage in anti-competitive activities or charge different fees to
the users, applications or sites that are facilitated on those networks.
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Img Src: Searchenginewatch.com
Here’s another scenario:
Consider a situation where your electric company says that you
must purchase a Luxury Pack in order to use your air conditioner; or you are
obligated to buy additional packs to use your refigerator. It seems unfair and
honestly, quite frustrating right? Net neutrality
prohibits ISP’s from behaving the same way so when you are using Snapdeal for
instance, an operator cannot say ‘Hi, we have partnered with Flipkart and by
using Flipkart you can have
unlimited net access. But we noticed that you are using Snapdeal and we have not partnered with them, so using it would
result in data consumption.’
Net Neutrality should not distinguish the way
you choose to use the internet or the way you receive content on any site you choose
to visit.
The subsequent snapshot gives
you a rough overview of how a telecom company could hypothetically charge you in
the future for different website and content access:
You definitely want
to know who sparked the Net Neutrality debate in India.
Net neutrality sparked in India after Airtel announced Airtel Zero, an “open marketing platform”
that allows customers to use mobile applications at no cost while charging
subscribers. This is basically a collaboration between Airtel and certain other
companies in which the consumers do not have to pay for the data. It means that
users will be able to access those websites that have joined Airtel Zero.
Img Src: reappropriate.co
Why is this not good for us
as consumers?
Besides the obvious
concerns of upselling and content restriction, here are a few solid reasons why
consumers should be in favor of net neutrality:
1. We
are Forced to change brands: A lot of consumers may move to what is free
rather than what they would like to use.
2. Forced to change our usage behaviour: You may
not be able to share Images on WhatsApp or a YouTube video with a friend
because he or she does not use that special pack.
3. Privileged Treatment: ISP’s would be able
to charge large companies that can afford to pay for special treatment and
consequently slow down competitor sites and
content- a practice known as paid prioritization.
4. Other Operator companies would be forced to do the
same: If things go according to the telecommunication company, they will
have the power to shape internet traffic. Similarly, cable and phone
companies could carve the Internet into fast and slow lanes, which means all
websites cannot be accessed at the same speed. This would destroy the open
Internet.
Watch this video on the basics of this vital
issue and how it affects you:
What is the
Importance of Net Neutrality?
Net Neutrality is tremendously important for small business
owners and entrepreneurs who start their business online. Without it, it may be possible for ISPs to
charge web companies to enable faster access to their websites. In such a case,
start-ups that want to create a unique identity in the online world may not be
able to fulfil the ISP’s demand and ultimately their websites will operate
slowly. This means bigger companies like Flipkart, Snapdeal and Amazon will be
able to pay more to make access to sites like YouTube and Google+ or buying
goods faster for web users.
Lots of people write blogs. They will no longer be
accessible for people. You and I will pay more for everything on the Internet. It’s
easy to see why you should care and support Net Neutrality.
Without it, the internet will become a closed network. You
have to pay extra charges for the free calls you make using services like
WhatsApp, Skype and other communication services.
Eventually the load of additional amounts by ISP’s will be
pushed and there could be "package plans" for consumers. Do you
currently have a standard data package to access content or sites at the same
bandwidth irrespective of whether it is an international website or domestic? Without net neutrality you will only be able
to access websites based in India. To access international websites, you may
have to pay extra amounts. Or perhaps there could be different lanes for
different types of sites or content, completely depending on how much money you
are paying to the operator and what "add-on package" you have bought.
Pros of Net
Neutrality in Brief
- Freedom and ease of doing business online
- Freedom of online speech
- Freedom to visit any Website and access knowledge you want at the fastest
browsing speed - Freedom to access each site at same data cost
Img Src: cooperpointjournal.com
How can you support
Net Neutrality?
Raise your voice and stop this internet access freedom demolition. You can share
your opinion on your personal social media platform to let others know about
it. You can also write directly to TRAI at advqos@trai.gov.in or you can add
your voice to the debate here: http://www.fcc.gov/page/fcc-establishes-new-inbox-open-internet-comments
Will TRAI accept Net
Neutrality?
TRAI has released a consultation
paper with 20 questions spread across 118 pages and wants you to send them
an e-mail by 24th of April, 2015. In just three days, people in India have sent
more than 3 lakh mails to TRAI.
Now it is your turn to contribute in the fight for net
neutrality. Let us remind TRAI that their job is to protect the rights of
consumers, not the profit margins of Telco’s. Let us demand access to a free,
open internet.
It is very important to have net neutrality, as it gives us the
right to communicate freely online, access any site, content and services and
grants us the liberty and ease of doing business online.
Have you formed your own thoughts and opinions on Net
Neutrality? If so, freely share your
thoughts here.
Further Reading:
What is net neutrality? Why should I care?
Popular News:
News about Net Neutrality on
Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/What-is-net-neutrality-and-why-it-is-important/articleshow/29083935.cms
Free Internet an absolute condition for innovation
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/internet/only-net-neutral-india-can-create-next-google-free-internet-an-absolute-condition-for-innovation/articleshow/46925459.cms
Related Videos:
Net Neutrality debate video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Is1TEAyJU
Comedian John Oliver explains Net Neutrality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=595&v=fpbOEoRrHyU
Big names who are supporting Net Neutrality:
Barak Obama
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP01t0Z4Hr8
Mark Zuckerberg
http://www.cnet.com/news/facebooks-zuckerberg-muses-on-net-neutrality-defends-internet-org/
Other People
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/people-voice-their-support-for-net-neutrality-say-internet-a-utility-not-a-luxury/539585-3.html
More About Net Neutrality:
Facebook’s Internet.org sees
defections over alleged harm to net neutrality
A growing number of internet
companies operating in India are distancing themselves from Facebook's
Internet.org initiative over concerns about how it could impact net neutrality
in the region. http://www.zdnet.com/article/facebooks-internet-org-faces-indian-exodus/
Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) on Sunday
reaffirmed its support for ‘net neutrality’, but also made a strong pitch for
‘net equality’ that will enable access to Internet for a billion Indians as
part of the governments digital India vision.
April 20,2015
Over 9 lakh emails have been sent to TRAI in support of net
neutrality.
Net Neutrality:
10 cartoons by Aseem Trivedi explain why you should save the Internet
http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/net-neutrality-10-cartoons-by-aseem-trivedi-explain-why-you-should-save-the-internet-264382.html
If you are concerned about the brewing net neutrality debate
then there's some good news as 10,00,029 petitions have been mailed to TRAI via
the SaveTheInternet.in petition till 23rd morning.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/over-a-million-mails-sent-to-trai-for-net-neutrality-petition/1/431708.html
TRAI made all those supporters email id open for spammers! After
massive public outrage on social media and its website taken down by Anonymous,
the hacking group that stands for Internet freedom, it is strange to see that
Trai still hasn’t taken off the email IDs.
http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/net-neutrality-after-public-outrage-and-website-hacking-trai-still-hasnt-taken-off-the-email-ids-265162.html
Government Net Neutrality Report - You can make free skype,whatsapp and viber calls to abroad but not with in India, you need to pay some charges to the operator to make the call.
For more information read below -http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/net-neutrality-report-you-can-make-skype-whatsapp-calls-abroad-not-within-india-274348.html
India’s decision on Net Neutrality -
Disappointed with TRAI verdict but will keep working to deliver free Internet access: Mark Zuckerberg -
http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/disappointed-with-trai-verdict-but-will-keep-working-to-deliver-free-internet-access-facebooks-mark-zuckerberg-298402.html
