cellular operator association has bizarre interpretation of Net neutrality

The cellular operators want the exact opposite of Net neutrality. They want
anyone offering Net telephony, such as Skype, Whatsapp and Google Hangouts,
to be forced to obtain a license and pay license fees.  If not, they will
be forced to raise the cost for the awful data connectivity they offer by
up to 6 times! Gee. Blackmail!

They claim that within 10 days of launching an online campaign, they
already have 4 million messages of support.

I would like to know how they formulated the questions they asked.
Unfortunately, you can't get any information from their website, until you
register. Talk about openness.

Airtel has already received a thrashing on Net neutrality. What does COAI
expect, after such blackmail attempts?

warmly,

Arun Mehta

http://tech.firstpost.com/news-analysis/net-neutrality-cellular-operators-association-gets-support-of-4-million-indians-265981.html

Four million mobile subscribers have supported COAI’s campaign favouring
net neutrality for internet-based communication services like WhatsApp and
Skype and their being subject to norms similar to those applying to mobile
phone operators, the apex body of cellular operators said.

“Sabka Internet, Sab ka Vikas — the campaign for net neutrality, net
equality and consumer choice, has received support from over 40 lakh Indian
mobile users in under a week,” the Cellular Operators Association of India
(COAI) said in a statement here.

“The entire mobile number database of supporters is auditable on request by
the appropriate agency,” it added.

Launched last week, “Sabka Internet, Sab ka Vikas”, a campaign about making
the Internet accessible and affordable for every Indian, seeks a level
playing field with net-based services like Skype and WhatApp.

The industry body said if the telecom operators are not offered a level
playing field with net-based services, then their businesses would be
viable only by raising data prices by up to six times.

It comes against the backdrop of the debate over net neutrality and
allegations that telecom operators are hurting the concept of free internet
access by giving preferential treatment to a select few service providers.

“COAI started the outreach effort to ensure that mobile customers have the
freedom to benefit from the power of the Internet in the way they would
wish to, including the choice of platform, device and technology,” said
COAI director general Rajan S. Mathews.

The net neutrality principle came into focus in India following mobile
operator Airtel’s launch of an open marketing platform ‘Airtel Zero’, and
the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s consultation paper on whether
telecom firms could be allowed to charge different rates for different uses
of Internet data such as e-mail, browsing and for use of apps like
Whatsapp, Viber and Skype.

*IANS*

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