An internal panel of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has recommended regulation of over the top (OTT) services including WhatsApp, Skype to ensure a level playing field in the sector.
In its report, the panel said OTT services need to be regulated through exercise of licensing powers available under Section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act to create a level playing field with the telecom service providers, according to people in the know. However, it was not immediately clear how would OTT services be regulated through a licensing regime.
The committee has also recommended incorporation of a clause in the license conditions of telecom and internet service providers, which will make them adhere to guidelines prescribed by the government on the issue of net neutrality.
“A new legislation when planned for replacing the existing legal framework must incorporate principles of net neutrality. Till such time, interim provisions enforceable through licensing conditions as suggested by the Committee may be the way forward,” the person said quoting the report. Also, TRAI should examine the tariff plans launched by telecom and internet service players to ascertain whether they conform to the principles of net neutrality or not.
Last week, the minister for communications and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad said the report of the DoT committee will be made public soon. The department is waiting for the regulator to firm up its view on the issue before taking any final call. The report was submitted earlier this month.
DoT constituted a six-member committee in January this year to look into the issue of net neutrality. Telecom regulator TRAI had also issued a consultation paper on regulation of OTT players and definition of net neutrality but is yet to come out with its recommendations. The government is yet to announce a new TRAI Chairman after the previous one Rahul Khullar retired in May this year.
Telecom players including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular have been demanding uniform rules for all entities offering voice communication services. WhatsApp and Skype offer voice services through an internet platform.
However, many experts are not in favour of a licensing regime for OTT players and feel licensing will curb innovation in the sector.
Same rule should apply for same services, including mobile and internet protocol (IP) voice services, as it is the only way to ensure digital inclusion and bring about social and economic good to people, telcos said earlier. “We’re pro-consumers. We don’t believe in blocking any site. We are committed to net neutrality. But ‘same services, same rules’ must apply for all players and not just the telecom operators, who have to pay various levies to the government, such as licence fee. The rules should be applicable to over-the-top players who offer voice and text telephony among other services,” Bharti Airtel’s Managing director and Chief Executive Officer (India and South Asia) Gopal Vittal had said in April.
Bharti Airtel’s launch of Airtel Zero platform on April 6 had triggered a debate on the issue of net neutrality across the country and many experts said the launch was against the principles of net neutrality.On the ‘Airtel Zero’ platform, companies, including startups, can offer apps for free. The app maker will pay for the customer's free usage to the operator and users don’t have to pay any data charges.
The issue of net neutrality had caught the attention of a wider spectrum of audience from Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP to netizens on social media.
According to principles, net neutrality means all internet sites have to be treated equally without any discrimination in terms of speed and cost of access.
