Department of Telecom – The recently published net neutrality report talks about using internet-based voice call services in India. It’s the first time when DoT has made public its views on net neutrality.
According to the report, users can continue using VoIP services like WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, etc. to talk to their friends, parents and relatives based in foreign countries. However, calling to their friends in India using these services may cost in the future.
The DoT panel report claims to take the side of these internet based service providers, but in reality, it intends to safeguard the rights of telecom players in India.
Insights On The Matter:
Telecom players have invested a lot of money in grabbing spectrum rights, and the government doesn’t want to keep them away from having a share in voice call market.
Even though, the government wants to levy charges on making voice calls through VoIP service providers; there is no announcement about text messages. It means that users can continue to send unlimited text messages through WhatsApp, Skype, Viber and other IM service providers at no extra cost.
Industry experts are calling it a war between Airtel (Airtel Zero) and Facebook (Internet.org), in which the government has taken the side of the former. The DoT report also recommends putting a legal framework in place to avoid any violation of interests of telecom players in the future.
According to this report, the prime objective of the DoT panel is to ensure corporate and government interests. It says that there is no proper framework to ensure the privacy of the user; hence, the government should introduce some changes in the future.
It is just a recommendation from DoT panel and not the final word, but it will surely play a vital role in the final decision to be taken by TRAI and government at a later date.
