Startups caution telecom regulator against overregulation of internet services
Net Neutrality, against network usage fees by telecom operators and the idea of imposing telecom licensing on online services.
Airtel, Jio and Vi have asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to allow them to charge startups a «network usage fee» based on traffic and/or the number of users. The startups alleged that these telecom service providers (TSPs) are now pushing for some apps to be also brought under the licensing regime.
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Offering CollegeCourseWebsiteIndian School of BusinessISB Applied Business AnalyticsVisitNorthwestern UniversityKellogg Post Graduate Certificate in Digital MarketingVisitIndian School of BusinessISB Digital TransformationVisitIndian School of BusinessISB Digital Marketing and AnalyticsVisit«Trai must caution against any demand to charge network fees from large traffic generators and prevent TSPs from yet again trying to engage in such rent-seeking behaviour, and not impose telecommunications licensing frameworks on internet companies,» the letter, addressed to PD Vaghela, Trai chairman and Akhilesh Kumar Trivedi, advisor (networks, spectrum and licensing), read.
In February 2016, Trai issued the Prohibition of Discriminatory Tariffs for Data Services Regulations restricting the discriminatory prices charged from consumers based on the content. This regulation saw the support of several startups, who asked for the regulator's support for Net Neutrality.
The letter cautioned the body against any move towards «overregulation of internet services being described as over-the-top (OTT) services, which may have discriminatory consequences».
It said internet services are already regulated under the IT Act, 2000, and that they were
