[speedmiester]

TRAI has taken a bold steps towards ensuring Net Neutrality in India.

Yesterday, TRAI recommended that internet service providers (including telecom operators) be restricted from engaging in any discriminatory treatment of content or entering into any agreement that has such effect. Discrimination, whether based on the sender or receiver of the content, the protocols used or the equipment being used to access the internet is prohibited. In addition, TRAI recommends specific rules against blocking, degrading, slowing down or granting preferential treatment to any content. It’s a recommendation, and not yet a rule, because it is to be implemented by amending the license agreements that govern all providers of internet access – which is under the remit of the Department of Telecom. But by providing the text of the rule, TRAI has paved the way for smooth passage of these amendments by government.

Net neutrality: TRAI has done well to recommend hard coding it in law

[aadya]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

I am simply amazed that the same advocates who rightly claim that government should not involve into people's private lives (like in the issue of homosexuality, or inter-religion marriages) , advocate on "Net-neutrality". Internet access is a private contract between two parties.

I am not against your opinion but feel there needs to be a more rationale thought process into this. Say a Tea estate owner(TEO) enters contract with an employee(TW-The Worker), TW will work in the plantation and TEO will provide all necessary things for his well being at his volition. Does it sound right? This is how slavery is born, monopolies are made and Dictators are created.
I always support individual informed decision making. But as long as the information to the majority stops with the number of signatures in the T&C forms, I do support Net neurtrality.

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by aadya

I am not against your opinion but feel there needs to be a more rationale thought process into this. Say a Tea estate owner(TEO) enters contract with an employee(TW-The Worker), TW will work in the plantation and TEO will provide all necessary things for his well being at his volition. Does it sound right? This is how slavery is born, monopolies are made and Dictators are created.
I always support individual informed decision making. But as long as the information to the majority stops with the number of signatures in the T&C forms, I do support Net neurtrality.

Exactly. That should be the role of the government - that disclosures are simpler to understand, that switching (portability) costs are not high even if consumers make a mistake, that consumers are not locked in to unfair plans, and competition is ensured.

The government should not just assume all consumers are dumb and limit the choice to the consumer.

As an aside, if an ISP gives me just free Netflix (and team-bhp, of course), wouldn't I just love that :-) ? Why should a government limit my choice?

[aadya]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

.
As an aside, if an ISP gives me just free Netflix (and team-bhp, of course), wouldn't I just love that :-) ? Why should a government limit my choice?

Yes. That would be sweet. But the problem is calling it as free internet and back loading their content as the real content. Neutrality cannot be violated by the ISP(Gatekeepers should be neutral).Period.

It can be other way around. Netflix can offer you 1gb(just an imaginary number) download per day bundled with their subscription.

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by aadya

But the problem is calling it as free internet and back loading their content as the real content.

That's where the disclosures norms need to be strongly enforced by the government/regulator. ISPs should not be allowed to call it "Full" internet when they offer only limited internet.

ISPs who provide such limited service can even be renamed as LBSPs (Limited Broadband SPs) or some such nomenclature, just to reduce confusion to the consumers.

Just don't kill the choice to the customer.

[SaNdY_AR]

Major move by US. "US Junks Net Neutrality" How ridiculous is this?

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/as-u...-lateststories

Though India's TRAI only last month publicly declared it did not favour any discrimination on the internet, will it change it's stance.

Regards
Sandy

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by SaNdY_AR

Major move by US. "US Junks Net Neutrality" How ridiculous is this?

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/as-u...-lateststories

Though India's TRAI only last month publicly declared it did not favour any discrimination on the internet, will it change it's stance.

Regards
Sandy

That is going to end up in court. New York Attorney General, Eric Schneidermann, has already said he'll sue, and he isn't alone. US has complicated Federal and State governance structures, so drawing policy parallels with India is difficult.

Given how the whole process (including public consultation) was handled, Schneidermann will have a good case to argue.

This isn't cut and dried, not by a long shot.