India set to lose Net Neutrality? Act now
This topic is very much related to blogging in terms of internet access.
What is Net Neutrality?
As per this article http://www.medianama.com/2014/11/223-net-neutrality-simple-explanation/
Telecom operators/ISPs are access services providers, and can control either how much you access, what you access, how fast you access and how much you pay to access content and services on the Internet.
It’s important for access to knowledge, services and free speech, as well as freedom and ease of doing business online, for this access to be neutral:
– All sites must be equally accessible - The same access speed at the telco/ISP level for each (independent of telco selection) – The same data cost for access to each site (per KB/MB).
This means, Net Neutrality is about: – No telecom-style licensing of Internet companies (see this and this) – No gateways (Internet.org, Airtel OneTouch Internet, Data VAS), censorship or selection; – No speeding up of specific websites (that may or may not pay telcos) – No “zero rating” or making some sites free over others (and that goes for you too, Wikipedia and twitter).
Folks, please go through these links to understand better.
Action needs to be taken soon.
How you can act: https://www.change.org/p/rsprasad-trai-don-t-allow-differential-pricing-of-services-let-consumers-choose-how-they-want-to-use-internet-netneutrality
To gain some understanding of the situation: http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/pj61D8cXPVQXwO0UJnd67I/The-Airtel-Zero-idea-Splitting-Indias-Internet-into-many-I.html
Thanks,
Reason: formatting
Ok, I've managed to format it.
Net neutrality is a good concept for US but we can't implement it here. We are demographically a different country with different socio-economic distributions. We need internet.org and government led services being offered free over internet.
I disagree with the proposal. The only people who can support this thing will be large profit earning telecos and huge profit making internet companies.
I feel there are large number of people who will never be able to use internet if they are not provided a scheme like internet.org or others. It is necessary that internet penetrates the remotest area. I think a greater understanding about the pupose of internet and the situation of our country is needed here.
television has about 100 odd channels...internet has millions sites..i dont think they can control to that extent.
They may control reputed, business and most traffic sites to earn revenue 
. They won't control rest of the million sites since they don't give any benefit to them due to low level or never traffic or business. They will update their list often who give benefit to them.
yes you are right...but point is we are already paying to access them...is anything coming in your computer free? i just recharged my dongle today.. :s
Yes, everyone has to recharge whether it is for personal or official usage, the same will happen when the new process come (recharge, recharge and continue to pay). However, the problem is for end user of course on selected well known website access since they started a kind of monopoly and ghaabra business (e.g. Dish TV type) after FB started some initiative and net users across India came to know the benefits so far service providers got. 
On the other hand, what service provider says is like, their huge saving used to invest for the next upgrade on technology. So, overall both (user and service providers) have advantage and disadvantage in this business.
@Nandini Deka: Basically, they can charge differently for different sites/apps. Like for example, they may start charging additional amount for phone calls over the Internet (using apps like Viber and whatsApp). Or may be for an Internet pack for facebook would come in x amount, but for whatsApp, it may come in higher prices. So basically, different prices for different kinds of data. Whereas, right now, internet charges is same irrespective of websites/apps. Whereas right now, it is calculated on the amount of data being used, some time later, they may apply an additional factor- of what kind of data, and from which website you are using.
Doesn't it make any difference for you?
no..hypothetical situations and over imaginations dont make difference to me....from all sites ive read abt the topic...most are assumptions..this may happen..that may happen...whereas from what i understand..there may be free packages ( that may exclude some apps/sites - its free so why complain if some stuff are missing ) and paid packages ( which will include all and which we are anyways paying ).
@Nandini: It's not hypothetical. Do you remember how Airtel had tried to come out with a plan to charge more for voice calls over internet? (They had almost finalized it, but it was later ditched due to legal technicalities and public anger). Also, you probably haven't read the Govt version of Consultation seeking document, where TRAI tries to come to the defense of Telecome Operators, as to how they are losing their money due to these messaging/calling apps.
I rated Flipkart 1 Star in Google Play after learning that they are opposing net neutrality !!
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/internet/news/net-neutrality-supporters-downrate-flipkart-app-after-co-founder-supports-airtel-zero-679939?utm_source=ndtv&utm_medium=top-stories-widget&utm_campaign=story-18-http%3A%2F%2Fgadgets.ndtv.com%2Finternet%2Fnews%2Fnet-neutrality-supporters-downrate-flipkart-app-after-co-founder-supports-airtel-zero-679939
Note to author: The attached link, the one from medianama site, is not relevant to this issue. That article explains net neutrality from US perspective, whereas in India the voices are being raised due to an entirely different issue (different pricing, selective package etc). This article explains better:- trak.in/tags/business/2015/03/31/trai-ott-license-net-neutrality-threatened/
Also, Govt of India, through TRAI, has come out with a consultation document, in which it explains the issue and put forth 20 questions, asking all the "stakeholders" to give email responses on them by a specific given date. (Just that they never specified who the "stakeholders" are). That document can be downloaded from the TRAI official website, in the "latest consultations" section.
Here are 4 crucial questions (out of 20) asked by Govt of India ( through TRAI), that indicates clearly which way it is headed:-
Question 3: Is the growth of OTT impacting the traditional revenue stream of TSPs? If so, is the increase in data revenues of the TSPs sufficient to compensate for this impact? Please comment with reasons.
Question 4: Should the OTT players pay for use of the TSPs network over and above data charges paid by consumers? If yes, what pricing options can be adopted? Could such options include prices based on bandwidth consumption? Can prices be used as a means of product/service differentiation? Please comment with justifications.
Question 13: Should TSPs be allowed to implement non-price based discrimination of services? If so, under what circumstances are such practices acceptable? What restrictions, if any, need to be placed so that such measures are not abused? What measures should be adopted to ensure transparency to consumers? Please comment with justifications.
Question 14: Is there a justification for allowing differential pricing for data access and OTT communication services? If so, what changes need to be brought about in the present tariff and regulatory framework for telecommunication services in the country? Please comment with justifications.
OTT- Over the Top- It included almost everything we use on smartphones, all kind of smartphone apps- FB,twitter, WhatsApp, shopping apps.
why not think it from a poor man's perspective...how many people can afford 4g, 3g or even 2g in india?? lets say theres a person named Sankat...who just about saves enough to buy a smartphone or maybe is still paying EMI on it ...its hard for him to afford the current data packages...so with schemes like internet.org, airtel zero etc he gets free net access. he may get limited sites/apps on it...but atleast he gets access which otherwise he wouldnot. isnt that a good thing?.....it wont affect rest of us who can afford and are paying for net...that's not going to change ( atleast i'm not convinced that it will ). and even if other telecoms try these free packages...they'll still have to keep the normal paid internet ( the one we are using ) open....cos all their free packages will have limited apps/sites...so not all customers will opt for them..except perhaps poor ones.
+100 Shantinath 
One couldn't have explained any better
Lets' not forget the fact that such apps are not properly maintained where users will have little or no hassle. Imagine the money spilled by the end user in bandwidth wastage when the app doesn't work properly. I seriously doubt either flipkart or airtel will optimize their apps regularly.
Thanks a lot Amit Amit Pattnaik
@The Sorcerer: Bandwidh wastage should be a cause of worry for Airtel and flipkart only(more expenses in giving free access), not for us. So I think that is not an issue here.
aare....if you dont like free version...you take the paid version....( i'm saying all this only with the understanding that normal paid version like we are currently using will still continue, else i'll also protest
), and i'll take free version. ...it'll also give choice which options i/users like...free or paid....and no flipkart cannot keep more prices more than MRP at any cost, for that companies too will have to increase prices specially for flipkart while keeping retail offline prices diff...do you think its possible or some hallucination some of you are having what if supposedly flipkart do increase prices...but snapdeal who is not part of airtel reduces theirs by half...will flipkart be able to keep the monopoly as you are suggesting? and in anycase flipkart do increases prices...customers will be smart enough to go back shopping the old way from normal offline shops....atleast thats what i'll do.
and its not as if flipkart will be available only on airtel...it's available on other networks too, right?...will it have increased prices with airtel users ( so called monopoly you are suggesting ) and diff prices for other network users? does it even make sense o.O
Nandini Deka: Well flipkart does keep prices higher than other shopping sites (in many cases). Should I start giving you proof of some specific commodities being sold on flipkart for higher price than on other shopping sites? And do you realize that online shoppers still choose to buy higher priced version of the commodity? Reason is simple, price is not everything. Trust, simplicity of buying, customer care, so many factors play role in decision of buying.
and no, if they will increase price, they will increase everywhere, not only on Airtel. But again, why increase the price to run some trick-campaign?
also, it's not about MRP. Online shopping sites always sell below MRP. So MRP just doesn't come into picture here.
is the price higher than MRP? i'm sure they cant go beyond MRP rates at any cost...it'll be illegal. and if customers are already knowingly paying higher charge compared to other sites, then what exactly is the problem...its their choice....i guess other online shopping portals need to give good services ( and they can if they don't want to lose out )..you can really blame flipkart here can you?
Online shopping sites always sell below MRP. So MRP just doesn't come into picture here.
so the monopoly conspiracy theory goes out of the window,
can't really blame* typo
make those sites free which are necessary for use- like google(for search)
Why only Google? Why not Bing or Yahoo? :s
And let me tell you that making only Google Search free would be useless. You search, you get the results but what next? How will you access those websites.
Few weeks ago, I had some problem with my net connection and I could access only https websites (like Google Search). I could search for everything but couldn't open any of the websites in the search results.
Isn't IB luring bloggers with HH? Shouldn't all sponsors be forced to spend equal amount on money on IB, BA, BM etc etc? :s
yes i used MRP...becos you used the terms conspiracy etc..as long as they cant mess around mrp how will it be monopoly or prize increase as you suggested....also you mentioned they already sell at higher price so why not stop them now too?
customers are poor...and not illiterate right? atleast if they use smartphone i guess they'll know to read stuff. its not difficult to do google/bing or watever search options they'll have and find where cheaper price is available....so in case they are cheated...they'll find out. search options wont show only flipkart will it o.O and you are talking as if only airtel will be the network people have... o.O LOL...over imagnation at its heights
i disagree...as i still believe...people will have option to take the paid version as we currently have...so why keep hammering the free version??? dont like free version...take paid version...stay happy...simple....all these consipratory theories you are suggesting are bunch of over imaginatioon/hallucination or whatever.
ignore the freeway and take the paidway...they are not gonna stop the paid version...the one we currently use..and theres no danger at all....flipkart or whoever cannot mess with MRP and will always sell below mrp (you only said that) so price increase thingy or having monopoly etc is also over imagination ( they sell currently higher too, why not object that as well?) . anyways #OkBye
@Shantinath you put ur point across well. Thumbs up for the correct viewpoint. I agree with the current plans of internet and not to pay individually for what I want to browse over the internet.
If its about reaching to the remote areas and making them internet savy I guess we all pay enough of taxes and Govt can have some plans to make free internet usage in the remote areas or at subsidized rates.
Why should users bear the cost of getting technologically advanced features of calling and texting over the internet.
Thanks Clementia As for free internet access in remote areas, well, even private players could be invited for that, but focus should be on making free the esential services websites, not the commercial/profitables ones.
Sab soch me pad gaye Baba ki baat sunke Hafeez...
I speak what is the truth..
If this happens, we cant do anything against it...PERIOD.
For people, who still have not got the point of net neutrality, this will happen if actions are not taken in fabour of net neutrality.
<img>http://telecomtalk.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/18012015_102531.png</img>
Any website, which is not listed, will be charged extra.
So, billions of sites are not listed over there then does it means they are going to be charged heavier than Google / FB price list?
Hike is an application as same as WhatsApp . There are few apps like that available.
They (Hike / WhatsApp / Telegram / WeChat etc.) need you or me or others to download free and use it for chat/photo/video to get our personal detail beside their app traffic.
I wasn't asking why the app is free. I was asking why it would be free even if net is made non-neutral (or whatever it is called) (According to the image posted by Ts http://telecomtalk.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/18012015_102531.png )
Yes, there will be many apps and thousands of website's access could be free and they hardly mention them except paid one on the list. Hike, Telegram, other traffic less websites or business less websites, accessing my blog and so on can be free which they can't list them out all except very few to let other understand on this.
@SC, I said just access free for many vs/against access paid for some. Access free doesn't mean it is completely free for us as long as we are already paying monthly for Data package. So, no free at all. But in this new system, we have to pay an extra amount for accessing selected / listed websites in addition to monthly data package. That's it.
Yaar, from the very beginning I am telling the short and sweet with an example though not precise (you can check all my responses) but 'beat around the bush' story happened or going on. Thus, I have to handle case to case basis. However, SC - you have listed all the detail tariff of each Telecom company for different net packages in detail that leads to confusion for few. Anyhow, Om Shaanthi Om .
Hike is shown free because it is owned by Bharti Enterprises who owns Airtel. BTW WhatsApp is their biggest competitor so I think this anti net neutrality cartel is led by Airtel. They were the first who started charging VOIP calls but later revoked due to public outrage. You can log on to www.savetheinternet.in to email TRAI in just two clicks. Make your voice count. Otherwise the situation in picture will come true after 24th April.
But what losses? The telecom companies never suffered any losses whatsoever, just as the petroleum companies never did. Like you wrote earlier, these private companies aren't doing this to provide net access to the poor, rather they are only looking to earn more profits. Ever since apps and VOIPs like Skype and Whatsapp came through, the profit margins of these companies decreased a bit comparatively. This is another way of hoodwinking people.
i want to get stuck there for a while....make it clear to me...besides the free option like airtel zero...won't the paid option be available or not -- like the one we are using to access all sites. the free option of limited apps is not thrust forcefully upon consumers, is it? they'll still have option to opt the regular paid one to access, right....can you make that clear first?
so...thats what i'm saying all along...as long as its there, why would the free thingy matter to me...i'll use the paid option and use net unhindered. simple.
Ukhaad paayenge yaa nahin, woh to baad ki baat hai, Par haan, sab log agar haath pe haath dhare bethe rahe, to definitely kuch nahin hogaa. Like someone wrote here, "to each his own", then why not let those who are protesting to protest?
Yes, The only one who understand it has the best Indirank score..Just checked..
I am sorry I even put up a statement. Looking at the Indirank score, I rest my case. I am nowhere near such a BIGWIG of the industry.
Please pardon me your majesty and forgive my childish behaviour. It is you who has been sent by the Supreme Lord to enlighten us and make us wise. Please also improve your frequency of writing, publishing and visiting threads as it appears to my childish self that you are walking on a thin thread yourself, reflecting your seriousness of "any kind of blogging" and gives the impression to my less educated self, that you are commenting only out of the fear of the raised internet bill you might have to pay if this happens by end of April 2015.
I would also want to tell your kind self Sir that we all have studied our little bit on this topic with the little bits of resources available to us at the moment, as against the vast ocean of knowledge you have at your disposal. So O learned and wise Sir, if you have a solution please tell us rather than just trying to tell many of us here that we are fools and you are the only learned person. We all respect you for the immensly knowledgable brains you have been gifted by the Supreme Lord and we would want to keep the respect intact.
Once again, let me assure you Sir that I am no where close to you in anything in the Blogging world. O gifted one, please forgive me..
"Om Shanti Om"
I guess we all have a proper solution do watch AIB video on the same
AIB : Save The Internet: https://youtu.be/mfY1NKrzqi0
i saw that...lots of hypothetical stuff there...
Thanks Clementia..:)
This video makes net neutrality make sense: https://youtu.be/mfY1NKrzqi0
Atleast the link came in ur reply :P
Thanks for sharing Nikhil
#SaveTheInternet
I thought we could still have a civilised discussion, despite of our differences in opinions, but I find so much vitriol being expressed! Reading a couple of replies here made me feel like opinions are becoming absolute. And I felt a few of the statements got very heated, to the point of being ugly and unpleasant.
Views can differ, the truth can have many facets, and probably some of us might be over-imagining things regarding this net-neutrality issue but still, why would you ridicule us? A few statements have even crossed the line into personal insults.
Outright intolerance for another's point of view is still fine with me as long as it isn't done in a vitriolic manner or with lines laced with sarcasm. Even if you feel like someone is being hostile, can't we still be the bigger person and skillfully deal with him or her with icy politeness? Why do we have to escalate the heat with "he or she started it first" approach? I fear if this continues, it may turn into a more heated and acrimonious discussion while the main mudda -- "net-neutrality" -- will take the back-seat!
For those who are against net neutrality - If BlogAdda pays more money to telecom services, those telecom operators will force you to visit that more. Now, did that touch the sensitive part? :P
LOL that's a damn funny take on it 
But people won't believe you that this can even happen
haha...actually i still think its over imagination going on o.O but didn't shantinath say ( i asked him to confirm it )....that general paid services that we are currently using will still continue...? it becomes a problem only if the service we are currently using get disturbed or stopped entirely and free thingy is forced upon us. i believe all these hoo haa is related to free thingy where one will have to pay to access beyond the free packages.,...for those not choosing free option and continuing with the paid one they won't face the issue ( that point no one seems to get it )....i'll protest only if i know for sure that free thingy is dumped on us and general paid option ( the one we use currently ) totally stopped.
@Nandini Deka For your sake, I am reposting two very crucial questions again. These questions are asked by TRAI, who are going to make rules in this regard:-
Question 13: Should TSPs be allowed to implement non-price based discrimination of services? If so, under what circumstances are such practices acceptable? What restrictions, if any, need to be placed so that such measures are not abused? What measures should be adopted to ensure transparency to consumers? Please comment with justifications.
Question 14: Is there a justification for allowing differential pricing for data access and OTT communication services? If so, what changes need to be brought about in the present tariff and regulatory framework for telecommunication services in the country? Please comment with justifications.
Question 13 tells that it is very much possible that Govt could frame laws which could enable IB to load slow, and BlogAdda to load faster (or may be viber and whatsAPP).
Question 14 indicates very clearly that Govt could frame laws which could enable different charging rate for differnt kind of data. Like 5 MB of audio calls for Rs 20, but 5 MB of text chat for Rs 5 only.
So all these scenarios are very much possible, is being made clear by none other than the Govt itself. Only thing is that, nothing is finalized yet, and these scenarios may not happen. But enough people will not oppose these things, then they may become a reality. Because there are rich telecom lobbies pushing for these changes!
So I would say to everyone, Know what is at stake. Be aware, act, before it's too late!!
see....if that thing happens in my regular net that i'm using...then i too will oppose...but if its in the free packages then it won't make difference to me. i've asked many times will the regular paid net we are currently using be same or not? and from begining i've tried to stress on that point. read all the comments ive made so far.
@Nandini Deka YES, that's the point. It will happen with regular connection only.
@Nandini Deka: You had only asked, whether the paid version will remain. And I had said yes it will. You had not asked how the "paid version" will behave. Or whether the paid version will remain completely "untouched", "unchanged". right?
In anycase, you shouldn't believe me or anyone else, Just spend some time reading the document released by Govt. It's a 118 pages documents, and clears everything about it. And it makes it amply clear, that they "may", charge differently for differnet kind of data (video/audio/text etc), and they may slow down a particular website and speed up another (even if you are on a standard data plan).
well to my understanding...thats more likely to happen with free package services and not paid ones which will give access to all equally. if it happens with regular ones...what on earth is the free package for...it doesnt even make sense...you are saying indirectly that free thingy will be forced on us. :s and i dont believe it.
You had only asked, whether the paid version will remain. And I had said yes it will. You had not asked how the "paid version" will behave. Or whether the paid version will remain completely "untouched", "unchanged". right?
i meant the paid service we use currently and that obviously means without any changes and i think i made it clear thousand times :o
@Nandini Deka No. Paid version will not remain the same (if the laws being considered comes into affect). That's for sure. You have to believe me. People are up in arms not for nothing. The Airtel Zero is NOT the main issue here. Many renowned people have come forward to support it. They have studied the pros and cons.
i meant the paid service we use currently and that obviously means without any changes and i think i made it clear thousand times :o
But I didn't take it in that sense. I only thought you are asking for paid version will remain or not (i.e. to option to opt for fully functional, no-problem version will remain or not ).
yes i meant fully functional..no problem 'paid' version like the one we currently have :o ...if we are paying already to access everything at one go...why the heck will they charge more, all over again? charging more makes sense only if someone has taken a free version and wants to access something that is not available in his free package.
If BlogAdda pays more money to telecom services, those telecom operators will force you to visit that more.
Doesn't sound believable. 
If BA has enough money to pay telecom services, then they will be having enough money to improve their website and also host HHs. In that case,no one will complain about being forced to visit BA instead of IB
Guys, watch the AIB video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfY1NKrzqi0 that aptly describes what net neutrality is all about, and why we need to fight for it.
And please go to the site savethinternet.in and do your bit to figh cyber discrimination! #savetheinternet
Do we really have a say here? Since when did the government and its departments start taking inputs of citizens to make crucial laws and frame guidelines and frameworks? Had it been a norm, we would have been somewhere else, instead of lingering where we are now, giving a chance to the major opposition every five years.
Before anyone passes any judgement on my thought processes, as I've seen people doing here in this thread and in hundreds of other places throughout the internet, let me make it very clear, I am neither against or for it, since, this is something, I feel we don't have any control at. Take the example of the now ubiquitous Conditional Access System (enacted by an act of the Parliament of India), the satellite television system (D2H). You get a set top box, get a small dish place it in your home and you get access to the world of television entertainment at your fingers. Really? Do you guys remember what all were we told before this thing came into the market? Consumers will pay for whatever channels they watch, and won't have to pay for anything we don't watch. We will have freedom to choose the channel/channel packages we would like to watch. We will get digital television signals at our home - NO OUTAGES (No one told me that in case of overcast conditions, my TV will also go out). No one told me that I will have to pay hefty charges for each channel I would like to add in my package. No one told me that I will have to pay more and more every year to get entertained over television.
Similarly, I guess those who encountered the introduction ATM's and digital money vending in the Indian Banking system also would recall the things we were told. Free of cost ATM card. No need to come to bank to withdraw money. Little did they tell us that we will have to pay them an amount for ATM service charge every year (exclusive of taxes), then we will have to pay them for sending us messages for transactions happening with our ATM/Debit card (again exclusive of taxes), then we were levied transaction limits and extra charges on transaction from other banks ATM's, and then we were levied limits on transactions with our own bank's ATM networks. One day, they will charge us for even taking out our ATM cards of our wallets.
The thing I am trying to imply is that whatever we do, it's not possible for us to force the government to ignore the benefits of corporates and corporations for the benefit of the masses.
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