Net Neutrality: Trai consultation papers favor certain telcos, says AAP

NEW DELHI: Raghav Chadha, Spokesperson, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), today lambasted telecom regulator Trai for favoring certain telcos, saying its consultation papers on 'regulating over the top players', don't highlight the views of start-ups.

"Trai consultation papers considered certain telcos and don't highlight the views of start-ups...There is ample opportunities for telcos and they should rather go for internet penetration rather than asking innovators to give a share of pie to them," Chadha said during a panel discussion on 'Keeping the Internet Free: Net Neutrality', organized by Bharat Exhibitions.

Chadha also said that there is an insatiable appetite of telcos which is triggering such debates and as a result, Trai received over 40 lakh emails in support of net neutrality.

Meanwhile, COAI Director General Rajan S Mathews and TV Ramachandran, Chairman, Assocham National Telecom Council argued that the telecom industry is not in profits and it's bleeding and a zero rating platform is in favor of start-ups as well and it is not blocking or throttling any site.

In the month of March, Trai had floated a consultation papers on 'Regulating the over the top players', and it received an overwhelming response over that.

TRAI Chairman Rahul Khullar had said “shrill voices” will not win the Net neutrality debate and the concept is not “practiced strictly” even in countries like the US and the UK.

Talking about the definition and rules of net neutrality, Pawan Duggal, President, Cyberlaws. Net said that there is no clear definition and rules are still vague on the subject.

The government has formed a six-member panel on net neutrality, which is likely to submit its report on May 9.