As per the principle of net neutrality, no platform should offer discriminatory services. This means that any service, which is found on a particular platform for a certain price, should not be available for free in another.
As the net neutrality issue in the US gains momentum with telecom regulator Federal Communications Commission (FCC) taking back the 2015 net neutrality rules, Indian telecom regulator TRAI said that it will issue recommendations on the matter on Tuesday.
Speaking at an open house to discuss in-flight connectivity, TRAI chairman RS Sharma said, "We will issue recommendations on net neutrality tomorrow." Sharma was however, quick to add that the developments in the US will not affect India.
The net neutrality recommendations will try to resolve issues surrounding the over-the-top (OTT) players and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) calls, said Sharma. OTT services such as WhatsApp, Skype and Viber, etc., have been under attack from telecom operators who want them to come under the ambit of regularisation as they have eaten into their profits. Internet service providers have, however, opposed this demand.
As per the principle of net neutrality, no platform should offer discriminatory services. This means that any service, which is found on a particular platform for a certain price, should not be available for free in another.
India has been in the midst of the net neutrality debate in 2015, with protests from pro-neutrality supporters ensuring that discriminatory services such as Facebook's Internet.org, Free Basics and Airtel Zero were not allowed to continue in India. Campaigners from across the country collected millions of signatures to pledge their support for net neutrality. IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had, at that point of time, pledged his support for a non-discriminatory internet.
Last week, while speaking at the Global Conference on Cybersecurity, Prasad reiterated his view. He said that the right to access to the internet was "non-negotiable", and that no single body will have any monopoly over internet services.
Pro equality
India has been in the midst of this debate with protests from pro-neutrality supporters ensuring that discriminatory services were not allowed to continue in the country
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Netneutrality")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}