The Internet, more specifically its neutrality, has become a key battleground in India. Two initiatives, aimed at giving Internet access to people who don’t have it yet, have triggered a series of protests and sparked deep concerns over their impact on net neutrality. The two players Airtel Zero and Facebook’s internet.org are the two said…
The recent debate on ‘Net-neutrality’ has many layers, but what has taken the nation of India by storm is the top-most layer on being given the RIGHT to access information without being punished by forces wanting to ride the principles of a ‘market economy’. The mandate is clear from the 0.005 per cent of the…
Net neutrality has been a much debated issue in India following the consultation paper issued by Trai. This was expected as mobility is a great success story in the country and mobile internet is at the heart of our digital world. However, this is a complex topic with many interrelated aspects that touch upon openness,…
Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said here today the report on controversial issue of net neutrality, prepared by a telecom department panel, has been sent to the telecom regulator and would be made public soon. State-run telecom Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited will offer free national roaming from June 15, said Prasad. Addressing a…
In what is a self-contradictory stance, an internal committee of the department of telecommunications (DOT) has recommended that zero-rating plans are not a violation of the principle of Net neutrality, and has urged that the government should adopt the policy of Net neutrality as it is globally defined. Union minister for communications and IT Ravi…
The telecom department panel that was set up to look into the Net neutrality issue has submitted its report to Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and the report will be made public in a few days. “Yes, they (the panel) have submitted the report to me. In few days time, the report will be put…
The controversial Facebook initiative to provide free internet access to selected services has now been launched in Pakistan in collaboration with Telenor Pakistan. This launch comes at a time when there’s a raging net neutrality over Internet.org going on in its neighbour, India. This announcement was made during an interactive event, which was attended by representatives from Telenor Pakistan…
In late ‘90s and ‘00s most ‘dot-coms’ lacked a revenue model (past an IPO). But they were making a lot of money for cable/phone companies. People around the world were signing up for internet connections to consume all that ‘free’ online content. And as long as they made the lion’s share of internet industry profits,…
A telecom department panel on net neutrality submitted its report to the communications & IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad over the weekend. The report, which has been complied by a six-member committee appointed in January, will be a key component for the government’s policy on net neutrality, a concept which guarantees free and non-discriminatory access…
Facebook’s internet.org is a well-meaning initiative held back by some crippling flaws. The portal is currently usable only via the Telenor network, and allows free access to a very small number of websites. These are websites such as AccuWeather, Facebook, BBC News, Bing, ESPNCricinfo, OLX, Wikipedia, and more, including health related websites, one of which provides information on pregnancy and child…