DoT panel to examine economic impact of net netrality

The Department of Telecom (DoT) has formed a panel to examine the economic impact of implementing the net-neutrality principle on the sector, after some operators tried to charge extra for voice call services like Skype and Viber, PTI reported.

Under the principle of net-neutrality, access to internet or any internet-based service should not have any barrier or discrimination.

A six-member committee formed under Telecom Commission member A K Bhargava had been asked to "examine pursuit of net neutrality from public policy objective, its advantages and limitations", according to sources.

The committee had been asked to examine the economic impact on the telecom sector that arose from the existence of a "regulated telecom services sector and unregulated content and applications sector, including over-the-top services."

Telecom operators had called on the government to bring over-the-top (OTT) players like Skype, WhatsApp and Viber under regulation as they were hurting revenues.

OTT players allow users to make free calls or send voice and video messages through internet and the subscribers are only required to pay for internet data consumed for using the service.

The committee had been asked by the DoT to ''examine overall policy, regulatory and technical responses in the light of examination and assessment of the issues in the first three terms of reference," a source said.