The Federal Communications Commission had adopted a strong net
neutrality rule that would prevent cable and phone companies from creating fast
and slow lanes on the Internet. But various telecom companies in India, have
been considering a very different kind of rule that can hurt start-up Internet
businesses.
Equality of opportunity to use the Internet space is the core of
net neutrality which has been and under attack by telecom companies who
seek to take advantage in order to tighten their grip in the market.
The ongoing debate on net neutrality has gained momentum all the
more with the launch of Airtel Zero. Airtel Zero, an open-marketing platform, allows
the customers to access mobile applications without paying for a bandwith.
Instead, the bandwith would be paid for by the mobile application developers
who sign up for the platform. In effect, this would mean that the developers will not have to spend on digital marketing to attract audiences. Instead, they will now pay to the telecom providers to attract audiences by sponsoring Internet bandwith.
This will create a two-tired Internet lane – a
fast lane for the rich and a slow lane for others.
While this may also be beneficial for developers with venture
funding or huge capital funds to bare the cost of the bandwith. But will be difficult for new developers to compete with what may not remain an even plain
field or them.
As enticing the idea of free Internet may sound to many, this
plan will be beneficial only for the telecom companies and would only hurt the
customers, who will not be able to access some applications that may become costly
for them.
All apart, the idea is also a short-term idea and will be followed
by other mobile networks too. It would be much like the DTH services where the
consumers will have to choose from different packs where access to a particular
service outside the pack maybe chargable.
In order to reach the entire gamut of web user, the start-ups will
have to tie up with all mobile networks. The companies who do not back idea
will loose their customers to the ones that are already paying money. Access to
Internet will become expensive. This
will in turn build competition, stifle innovation, and eventually lead to fewer
choices and higher prices in the market.
Also, there is a possibility that there will be a two-tier split
in the Internet. For some applications will be used by specific mobile networks
only. Others who do not have access to free internet will be confined to their
limited virtual world.
This idea will only serve to privatise the Internet world. Airtel
Zero is not the first one to directly violate the norms of net neutrality. Its
rival reliance communication too has been a part with Facebook with the launch of
internet.org in February this year. Under the internet.org umbrella, reliance
is providing more than 30 websites for free to its customers. While Airtel
plans to bring in 80 to 100 mobile applications under its fold.
In the name of data Zero plans the telecom operators will further
squeeze out more money from the app developers as they have been doing from
their consumers. It would be beneficial to establish some ground rules to protect
the Internet world.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has already initiated
a consultation paper to determine whether the OTT services, should be licensed
or regulated. The regulator has asked stakeholders to send in suggestions by
April 24, while counter-arguments need to be submitted by May 8. Trai may then
come out with its recommendations on the subject. The Internet is too important
to let the private players make the rules and it should be saved.
In India, where investment in internet infrastructure is poor
and the telecom industry has seen a downfall, the internet should essentially remain
open, free and fair. Indian internet connections are among the slowest,
costliest and most unreliable. It is
essential to protect Net neutrality not only for the future of the Internet,
but also the future of our democracy.
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