TRAI unequivocally votes for net neutrality: Angel Broking

Views of Mr. Mayuresh Joshi (Fund Manager, Angel Broking):

"The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has explicitly barred any kind of discriminatory tariffs for data services purely based on content. This is a big boost for net neutrality; a battle that is being waged across the world where service providers are trying to monopolize access to content. Proponents of net neutrality were of the view that discriminatory tariffs based on content were clearly against the basic grain of a free and democratic internet.

The TRAI has also prescribed stringent monetary penalties for any violation of these TRAI norms on net neutrality. The penalty will start at Rs.50,000/- per violation per day and the overall penalty could go as high as Rs.50 lakhs depending on the gravity of the violation. The only exemption will be emergency services, where lower prices in times of an emergency will be permitted.

However, it needs to be noted that this prohibition only applies for discriminatory tariffs based on content. But if a company was to offer lower tariffs for all users for a limited period of time then that would not constitute violation of the TRAI order."

Source : Equity Bulls

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