Net Neutrality in Danger! We should do something about this

baccilus

Skilled
TRAI is contemplating doing away with net neutrality in India and have asked for people's suggestions about the same. They have asked a group of 20 questions which may be answered by us. The questions themselves seem to be tilted in favor of Telecom companies. e.g., they have asked about how the companies will earn profit but the general public doesn't have access to their account books.
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...book.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=TOI

Source: http://trai.gov.in/Content/ConDis/10743_0.aspx

I think the least we can do is to try and answer these 20 questions and submit the answers to advqos@trai.gov.in
 
I think this was also posted in another thread, along with a later post with a "medianama" link, maybe merge the threads?
 
I think we should discuss the answers to these questions as well. Posting comprehensive replies, which would knock the wind out of the sails of these biased + lazy + corrupt TRAI should be the target.

They have done nothing in 10 yrs to make wired broadband reach a respectable level, and they still have the cheek to put the line in one of the question that bband in India is STILL EVOLVING?
 
Yes, that is why I have posted this. I want us to formulate comprehensive replies to these questions. These replies can also be shared on social media.
 
The consultation paper looks more like an advertisement by the telecom companies than a balanced overview of the matter.
Can some fellow members post two things ?
1. News articles & press releases about the record profits made by Indian telecom companies every quarter.
2. A reference to hike in data tariff in the last 2-3 years.

A TL;DR list of 20 questions are below for those who don't want to read the full pdf.
Question 1: Is it too early to establish a regulatory framework for
OTT services, since internet penetration is still evolving, access
speeds are generally low and there is limited coverage of high-speed
broadband in the country? Or, should some beginning be made now
with a regulatory framework that could be adapted to changes in the
future? Please comment with justifications.


Question 2: Should the OTT players offering communication
services (voice, messaging and video call services) through
applications (resident either in the country or outside) be brought
under the licensing regime? Please comment with justifications.


Question 3: Is the growth of OTT impacting the traditional revenue
stream of TSPs? If so, is the increase in data revenues of the TSPs
sufficient to compensate for this impact? Please comment with
reasons.



Question 4: Should the OTT players pay for use of the TSPs network
over and above data charges paid by consumers? If yes, what pricing
options can be adopted? Could such options include prices based on
bandwidth consumption? Can prices be used as a means of
product/service differentiation? Please comment with justifications.

Question 5: Do you agree that imbalances exist in the regulatory
environment in the operation of OTT players? If so, what should be
the framework to address these issues? How can the prevailing laws
and regulations be applied to OTT players (who operate in the
virtual world) and compliance enforced? What could be the impact
on the economy? Please comment with justifications.

Question 6: How should the security concerns be addressed with
regard to OTT players providing communication services? What
security conditions such as maintaining data records, logs etc. need
to be mandated for such OTT players? And, how can compliance
with these conditions be ensured if the applications of such OTT
players reside outside the country? Please comment with
justifications.


Question 7: How should the OTT players offering app services
ensure security, safety and privacy of the consumer? How should
they ensure protection of consumer interest? Please comment with
justifications.


Question 8: In what manner can the proposals for a regulatory
framework for OTTs in India draw from those of ETNO, referred to in
para 4.23 or the best practices summarised in para 4.29? And, what
practices should be proscribed by regulatory fiat? Please comment
with justifications.

Question 9: What are your views on net-neutrality in the Indian
context? How should the various principles discussed in para 5.47
be dealt with? Please comment with justifications.

Question 10: What forms of discrimination or traffic management
practices are reasonable and consistent with a pragmatic approach?
What should or can be permitted? Please comment with
justifications.

Question 11: Should the TSPs be mandated to publish various traffic
management techniques used for different OTT applications? Is this
a sufficient condition to ensure transparency and a fair regulatory
regime?

Question 12: How should the conducive and balanced environment
be created such that TSPs are able to invest in network
infrastructure and CAPs are able to innovate and grow? Who should
bear the network upgradation costs? Please comment with
justifications.

Question 13: Should TSPs be allowed to implement non-price based
discrimination of services? If so, under what circumstances are
such practices acceptable? What restrictions, if any, need to be
placed so that such measures are not abused? What measures
should be adopted to ensure transparency to consumers? Please
comment with justifications.

Question 14: Is there a justification for allowing differential pricing
for data access and OTT communication services? If so, what
changes need to be brought about in the present tariff and
regulatory framework for telecommunication services in the
country? Please comment with justifications.

Question 15: Should OTT communication service players be treated
as Bulk User of Telecom Services (BuTS)? How should the framework
be structured to prevent any discrimination and protect stakeholder
interest? Please comment with justification.

Question 16: What framework should be adopted to encourage India specific
OTT apps? Please comment with justifications.

Question 17: If the OTT communication service players are to be
licensed, should they be categorised as ASP or CSP? If so, what
should be the framework? Please comment with justifications.

Question 18: Is there a need to regulate subscription charges for
OTT communication services? Please comment with justifications.

Question 19: What steps should be taken by the Government for
regulation of non-communication OTT players? Please comment
with justifications.

Question 20: Are there any other issues that have a bearing on the
subject discussed?
 
Website is blocked at work so will get to it once I get home. Spread the word fellas. Even if it does nothing, at worst its 30 minutes of your time.
 
Those who want to read about the basics of Net neutrality may read the wikipedia page here: Net Neutrality
Some of the questions asked by TRAI are loaded. e.g., The first question itself assumes that regulations just have to be brought in. It only asks "when?".

"Is it too early to establish a regulatory framework for OTT services, since internet penetration is still evolving, access speeds are generally low and there is limited coverage of high-speed broadband in the country? Or, should some beginning be made now with a regulatory framework that could be adapted to changes in the future? Please comment with justifications.
"

Question 12 can't be answered till we know their accounts and details of how much money they are already making.

"Question 12: How should a conducive and balanced environment be created such that TSPs are able to invest in network infrastructure and CAPs are able to innovate and grow? Who should bear the network upgradation costs? Please comment with justifications"

The questions themselves seem like the mind has already been made up.
 
TRAI is contemplating doing away with net neutrality in India and have asked for people's suggestions about the same.
:woot:

on second thoughts no because all the regulation wallahs will make a big noise and try to kill it.

So we may be stuck on the same type of internet for longer :rage: this will mistakenly be blamed on telcos but its actually the govt that has not offered an environment to make it work better. Lacking in vision. 89% of wired networks in the country are govt owned. if you are private you need to lay your own line. costs a lot. no unbundling of the last mile like happneed in many others. because employees of the incumbent telco did not want to lose control.

They got voice done through mobile. but data is still slow and will remain slow because it can only be fast with wires.

OP, there was no net neutrality at the start of the net. yet look what happened and where it reached.

net neutrality is regulation. its putting obstacles in the way of the market. distorting it. It is bogus.

keep the net free from these regulations and watch what happens.
 
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"Question 2: Should the Internet/OTT players offering communication services (voice, messaging and video call services through applications (resident either in the country or outside) be brought under the licensing regime? Please comment with justifications."
What exactly does this mean? They mean regulation of applications?
 
Q3: Is the growth of Internet/OTT impacting the traditional revenue stream of Telecom operators/Telecom operators? If so, is the increase in data revenues of the Telecom Operators sufficient to compensate for this impact? Please comment with reasons.

A: The important question should be whether it is impacting the total revenue of the operator. Revenue from the traditional stream or revenue per user should not be a factor in this decision. Once the user base increases, it should be natural for the revenue per user to come down.
 
All these questions are aimed at the big telephone companies, not at us normal day to day people. The greedy govt wants its share of the pie and so is formulating tactics with the help of these companies. After they (govt + telecom) group WhatsApp type of apps into various categories and charge extra from people, the govt will get more money via direct & indirect taxes. If their plan goes through, they can force the VoIP etc companies to buy licences through auction etc.
Hence all this "natak" of asking people.
 
Clearly shows kind of political will and lack of foresight of the government. It is not just to drool high speed network for lesser cost, but at a bottom level there is immense need to upgrade country's infra for future growth and compete with other nations.
Even though so called democratic, is strictly inclined towards and controlled by capitalism. To an extent, where nation's growth has always taken a back seat.

Wonder how such people want to be remembered in the history.
 
All these questions are aimed at the big telephone companies, not at us normal day to day people.
Correct so they will be submitting their answers which will be accessible to the public and then we can review them. After which they will issue orders.

The greedy govt wants its share of the pie and so is formulating tactics with the help of these companies.

After they (govt + telecom) group WhatsApp type of apps into various categories and charge extra from people, the govt will get more money via direct & indirect taxes. If their plan goes through, they can force the VoIP etc companies to buy licences through auction etc.
Hence all this "natak" of asking people.
Cynical. the regulations are generally consumer friendly. TRAI tries to strike a balance. In any case the govt taxes these telcos already.

just see the OP's post.

TRAI is contemplating doing away with net neutrality in India and have asked for people's suggestions about the same.
do we have net neutrality in india at all. please show me something to support it. therefore how can they do away with it.

this is actually an attempt to introduce this net neutrality nonsense into india.
 
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General question.. Will it be wise to pay a subtle remark to TRAI for doing nothing to get broadband's basic definition upgraded every year? Esp when we stand 116 in terms of speed world over? For an IT front runner nation?

Secondly, any mention warranted, of how a state owned company like BSNL has been providing different plans to Indians in different states, depending upon the competition faced from the pvt players?

I dont want replies to be smacking of sarcasm and outright disdain. TRAI will be well aware of what they have done, the lobby from AVoId would have greased them nicely from head to toe.. but a good mature reply would knock some sense into them that the citizens arent really dumb either and have been fed up to the back of their teeth in the past one decade of incompetence.[DOUBLEPOST=1428509470][/DOUBLEPOST]So nobody interested in discussing any of the questions TRAI wants answers for?
 
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I am working on the answers. Will post some of them here.
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Question 4: Should the Internet/OTT players pay for use of the Telecom Operators network over and above data charges paid by consumers? If yes, what pricing options can be adopted? Could such options include prices based on bandwidth consumption? Can prices be used as a means of product/service differentiation? Please comment with justifications.

A: No, the Internet/OTT players should not be made to pay for use of the Telecom Operators network over and above data charges paid by consumers. Prices should never be a means of product/service differentiation. Once the consumer has already payed for the data, there is absolutely no justifiable reason to charge extra money on the basis of product/service using that data.
 
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