TRAI issues pre-consultation paper on Net neutrality

It asks stakeholders’ views on formulating the way forward for policy intervention on the much-debated subject.

The TRAI has also sought to explore traffic management tools that may be deployed by telecom companies in light of increasing internet usage, particularly of services that consume high bandwidth. Photo: A.M. Faruqui

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, on Monday, issued a pre-consultation paper on Net neutrality to seek stakeholders’ views on formulating the way forward for policy intervention on the much-debated subject.

The paper has sought public views on various aspects such as the core principles of Net neutrality in the Indian context and the key issues that make up the principles of Net neutrality.

The TRAI has also sought to explore traffic management tools that may be deployed by telecom companies in light of increasing internet usage, particularly of services that consume high bandwidth.

“Government had asked us for a comprehensive recommendations on net neutrality sometime back...we have come up with recommendations on differential pricing of data services, there is also a paper on OTT service… Net neutrality is a big issue, we thought of first compiling all issues that can come up so that when we come out with a consultation paper it covers everything. That is why we have increased a step and come out with a pre consultation paper,” TRAI chairman R.S. Sharma said at sidelines of a COAI event.

“...merits a deeper enquiry into the various issues relevant to the subject of net-neutrality, including determining the reasonableness of traffic management tools that may be adopted by TSPs [telecom service providers]; understanding the importance of unrestricted access to the internet; transparency and informed choice by users; customer privacy and national security,” the paper said.

On “unreasonable interference” of providers

The regulator has pointed out some case that it believes are tantamount to “unreasonable interference” with data traffic by telecom service providers. These include blocking or preferential treatment of applications, or websites, throttling internet speeds, and discriminatory tariff for data services.

“In the absence of a clear regulatory framework on Net neutrality, advanced traffic management techniques can potentially be used by an operator for discriminatory or anti-competitive purposes,” TRAI pointed out. It has also sought the stakeholders’ views on the reasonable traffic management practices that companies may follow while providing internet services.