NetNeutrality4India

         We all know about Net Neutrality at least now, because of the immense efforts of  various forums but let me be clear with you about the after effects of demolishing Net Neutrality any where in the world. Its not about an issue in a country but about people around the world who use net.

       Net Neutrality may seem very minor now but its a double edged sword. If Net Neutrality is ill treated it leads to monopoly of many services that we user are enjoying at our doorstep. In Net Neutrality every service accessed through net are treated the same but if a discrimination starts, It only benefits fat assed giants with deep pockets in the market killing the compitatory with no money muscle.

       The brands with deep pockets will partner with network operators to provide free access to their services but when it comes to struggling and startup service providers it will be a nightmare to raise money to partner with network operators. So, it leads to allocating lower bandwith to these non partnered services which leads to customers getting fed up with these services even though they are good at what they provide.

Netneutrality has become a worldwide issue. Corporations across nations have become powerful enough to lobby the governments against the interest of the general public. The recent spectrum auctions in India this year have yielded the government Rs. 1.07lac crores. All this is paid by the telecom companies. In order to maintain their range of profits at the same levels they have asked the telecom regulator(infact lobbied) to block apps that give free calling to consumers such as Viber, Watsapp, Hike etc and now they are moving towards something more dangerous which is discriminatory network services. Already the telecom companies floated the idea of increasing the call rates, data rates, broadband rates due to the increase in expenditure caused by the spectrum auctions.

This will make the internet service provider profitable by making them sell the data for each service separately. For instance at present if you buy 1 GB data you can go to any website and you can consume it all the way you like.This is called providing service without discrimination or net neutrality. If this is hindered the ISPs will sell packages according their whims and fancies. Through the 1 GB watsapp pack you can only open watsapp and you can not use that data to open any other service. In fact they literally steal your freedom on the internet and everything you want will be in separate packages. This not only leads to higher price for the uesrs but also being at the will of the ISP. Our dissent against the discriminatory services should echo in the TRAI regulation. Every voice counts. The greatest gift that any person can receive is Freedom. Just imagine if that freedom is lost not to the government but for corporations who make windfall profits from our pockets by undue charges and our hard earned money. Remember the words of Hiller the Elder in Hebrew "If I'm not for myself then who is? If I'm only for myself  then what am I? If not now when?"  Time will always be against us. The time is now to raise our voice against the discrimination and we should fight for our Internet Freedom for it is that freedom that made us learn whatever we want on the internet and even this article.