Fair-share fee on large OTT players to enhance customer satisfaction, doesn't violate net neutrality: COAI
Fair-share fee payment by large over-the-top players to telecom operators will enhance consumer experience with better quality networks without violating net neutrality principles, industry body COAI said on Wednesday. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), which represents telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel etc, said that it is a misguided view that fair share charge on large traffic generating (LTG) OTTs will violate net neutrality principles.
«Payment of fair share fee by Large Traffic Generating OTTs to TSPs will eventually enhance customer satisfaction, as end-users will benefit via better network quality and improved services,» COAI, Director General, SP Kochhar said in a statement.
Meanwhile, industry body Broadband India Forum, which represents players in the broadband ecosystem, in its counter comment to the telecom regulator Trai has said that claim to mandate over-the-top (OTT) players to pay for network usage fees and the government's intent to impose telecom licensing frameworks on OTTs, would lead to violation of the Net Neutrality principles and guidelines of 2016.
Telecom operators have been demanding 'same service same rules' for OTT players that provide communication services like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Google Meet, Telegram, etc.
Kochhar said COAI has proposed providing exemptions to startups, MSMEs and small enterprises within the OTT ecosystem from payment of fair-share charge which not only establishes a supportive framework for nurturing startups, but also ensures that smaller players enjoy the advantages of improved network quality.
«The Indian telcos are bound by their license conditions to ensure net neutrality, and will continue to do so. COAI affirms
