Denemek ALTIN - Özgür
Why Is India Talking About Net Neutrality Again?
Voice and Data
|November, 2023
Talks from telcos for higher pricing of data for the most popular Internet services mean that the net neutrality debate is back

In September, telecom operators wrote to the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), urging it to reconsider the pricing of data packets to rightly account for the amount of data consumed by over-the-top (OTT) Internet-based services. Their rationale was based on OTT services consuming more data, thereby having a lopsided impact on the overall operating expenditures incurred by these telcos.
What the telcos did not expect to see here was a partial resumption of the entire net neutrality conversation in the country. After having closed it off following the landmark debate that involved Facebook (now Meta), net neutrality is a subject that has so far not seen turmoil. Until now, that is.
WHAT DO TELCOS WANT?
On July 7, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released a consultation paper for industry responses, titled 'Regulatory Mechanism for Over-TheTop (OTT) Communication Services, and Selective Banning of OTT Services'. Multiple parties and entities raised responses to TRAI's consultation, which was published by the regulatory body on September 5.
The most scathing of the lot came from Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea-the three main telecom operators of India. Airtel's representation to TRAI, which sums up the crux of all three operators in one, said "Given the large requirements for meeting the vision of digital India, large traffic originators that account for a disproportionate amount of these (network infrastructure) investments must contribute a fair share. This should be through a direct contribution to TSPs (telecom service providers)."
The surcharge that telcos want companies to be charged, as per the submissions, could be "their share of contribution to the capital cost of broadband networks. This may be computed basis of traffic, revenue, number of consumers or some other parameter that should be decided soon."
Bu hikaye Voice and Data dergisinin November, 2023 baskısından alınmıştır.
Binlerce özenle seçilmiş premium hikayeye ve 9.000'den fazla dergi ve gazeteye erişmek için Magzter GOLD'a abone olun.
Zaten abone misiniz? Oturum aç
Voice and Data'den DAHA FAZLA HİKAYE

Voice and Data
Reimagining Earth through a living digital twin
A new geospatial alliance led by Aechelon seeks to build a real-time digital twin of Earth, merging satellite, radar, and Al for dynamic intelligence.
3 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Telcos find new lifeline in spectrum slicing
As revenues shrink and competition intensifies, spectrum-as-a-service offers telcos a shared model to unlock growth while empowering enterprises.
7 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Rethinking enterprise connectivity with managed Wi-Fi
As digital transformation accelerates, managed Wi-Fi is emerging as the backbone of agile, secure, and insight-driven enterprise connectivity in India.
4 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Beyond VPN: Building trust into network access
As cyberthreats grow more complex, enterprises are shifting from VPNs to ZTNA to achieve secure, scalable, and context-aware access for remote users.
4 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Banking on richer, safer digital conversations
RCS redefines banking communication with verified security, two-way interactivity, and measurable engagement that builds digital trust at lower cost.
3 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Powering India's cloud with sustainable data hubs
India's data centre boom is reshaping digital infrastructure, demanding clean energy, local innovation, and policy alignment to sustain its growth.
5 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Made in India: Building the backbone of loT hardware
From imported modules to home-grown chips, India's loT hardware story is evolving into one of design control, ecosystem depth, and strategic resilience.
4 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Breaking data barriers with light
Li-Fi uses the power of light to deliver ultra-fast, secure, and interference-free connectivity-illuminating a new frontier in digital communication.
7 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Cyber defence redefined as firewalls give way to foresight
Data security is evolving from reactive protection to predictive foresight— unifying platforms, intelligence, and AI to make organisations breach-ready.
3 mins
October 2025

Voice and Data
Connecting the currents of digital finance
India's telcos are building the invisible pipes that keep digital payments, inclusion, and innovation flowing across the nation's financial ecosystem.
5 mins
October 2025
Translate
Change font size