Telcos support Net neutrality

While supporting Net neutrality, the telecom companies said that there should be an equal environment for all to promote innovation and enable internet for all.

The companies on Friday said customers should have freedom to choose how they want to access the internet and they should be free to choose the device, technology and access platform – paid or subsidised — as long as internet is always open in terms of access in non-discriminatory manner.

Friday was the last day for all stakeholders to give comments on how over-the-top (OTT) players should be regulated in the country. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had invited comments last month. Based on these suggestions, counter arguments have to be submitted by May 8.

“We are pro-consumers. We don’t believe in blocking any site. We are committed to Net neutrality. We should ensure customers have the freedom to choose how they want to access the internet,” Gopal Vittal, Chief Executive Officer, Bharti Airtel, said here.

Addressing a media briefing organised by Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), Vittal said that telecom companies are a platform provider and anyone can come on it. “The most important thing is access,” he said.

The telecom companies also said that they will abide by the government on any rules it makes in future on Net neutrality. “Let the government decide and we will follow that…let there be a debate on it and let the government make rules,” Himanshu Kapania, Managing Director, Idea Cellular, said.

However, reiterating their point on OTT players, they said same rules should apply for similar kind of services (read voice calls) to make it more competitive and a space for growth for all. Otherwise, the telecom industry would continue to make losses in future. The telecom industry has a cumulative debt of ₹ 3-lakh crore, they said, adding that many operators are making negative returns.

“The telecom industry has invested cumulative investment of over ₹7.50 lakh crore over the last 20 years and would be investing another ₹ 5-lakh crore over the next five years, but the return on investment is only one per cent,” Vittal of Airtel said.

Pitching for separate tariff Therefore, the companies said a model should exist for separate charge of voice calls and data services. Otherwise, telecom companies may have to charge mobile data at six times from what it is right now and that could lead to disruption and arbitrage in future, leading to investment loss.

The CEOs and MDs, who are part of COAI, also said that they do not have any problem with OTT players if the rules are same, as they have the technology and can co-exist.

Other panellists of the COAI briefing included Ashok Sharma of Aircel, Rajiv Bawa of Telenor, Arvind Bali of Videocon, and Sunil Sood of Vodafone India.