Trai on Monday issued pre-consultation paper on net neutrality, a topic that had kicked up dust earlier this year over platforms like Facebook’s Free Basics and Airtel Zero as well as attempts to charge certain Internet services, including calls.
Seeking to put in place an overall framework for Internet usage in the country, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India said: “This pre-consultation paper is an attempt to identify the relevant issues in these areas, which will help Trai in formulating its views on the way forward for policy or regulatory intervention.”
There has been a conflict between telecom operators, Internet companies and consumers interest on the issue of net neutrality.
While all the three major stakeholders - telecom operators, Internet companies and consumers - favour net neutrality, they define it differently from their standpoint.
Trai has partially addressed the issue of net neutrality like differential pricing and, through a separate consultation paper, is in process of exploring model for providing free Internet within framework of net neutrality.
The paper has sought public views on various aspects such as “What should be regarded as the core principles of net neutrality in the Indian contextIJ What are the key issues that are required to be considered so that the principles of net neutrality are ensuredIJ”
It has also sought views on approach that “India’s policy and/or regulatory approach” should take in dealing with issues relating to net neutrality.
The debate on net neutrality picked up in India when telecom operator Bharti Airtel in December 2014 decided to charge extra for making Internet calls.
