Lok Sabha Question No. 3020 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-14
Subject: Committee on Net Neutrality
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Y. S. AVINASH REDDY, SUKENDER REDDY GUTHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3020 TO BE ANSWERED ON 14 th  MARCH, 2018

## COMMITTEE ON NET NEUTRALITY

3020.  SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY: SHRI GUTHA SUKENDER REDDY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  expert  committee  constituted  on  Net  Neutrality  has  submitted  its report to the Government;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the major recommendations;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  a  decision  to  adopt  the  recommendations made by the said committee for implementation; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS & MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) & (b) In  order  to  have  proper  policy  response  with  respect  to  various  issues involved in Net Neutrality, Government had constituted a committee to examine various aspects of Net Neutrality in January, 2015. In its report submitted on 28.05.2015, the committee has recommended various measures including adherence to core principles of Net Neutrality.

The major recommendations of the committee related to  Net  Neutrality,  inter  alia, are as under:

- i. User rights on the Internet need to be ensured so that TSPs (Telecom Service Providers) /ISPs (Internet Service Providers) do not restrict the ability of the user to send, receive, display, use, post any legal content, application or service on the Internet, or restrict any kind of lawful Internet activity or use.
- ii. A clause, requiring licensee to adhere to the core principles of Net Neutrality, as specified  by  guidelines  issued  by  the  licensor  from  time  to  time,  should  be incorporated in the license conditions of TSPs/ISPs.
- iii. Legitimate  traffic  management  practices  may  be  allowed  but  should  be  tested against the core principles of Net Neutrality.

- iv. Managed services are a necessary requirement for businesses and enterprises, and suitable exceptions may be made for the treatment of such services in the Net Neutrality context.
- v. Content and application providers cannot be permitted to act as gatekeepers and use  network  operations  to  extract  value  in  violation  of  core  principles  of  Net Neutrality, even if it is for an ostensible public purpose.

(c) & (d) Telecom  Regulatory  Authority  of  India  (TRAI)  has  also  submitted  its recommendations  on  Net  Neutrality  to  Department  of  Telecommunications  (DoT)  on 28th November, 2017. The recommendations are being examined by the Government.

Government  is  committed  to  the  fundamental  principles  and  concept  of  Net Neutrality  and  strives  for  non-discriminatory  access  to  Internet  for  all  citizens  of  the country.  DoT  shall  finalise  policy  direction  on  various  aspects  of  Net  Neutrality  after taking  into  account  the  recommendations  of  Committee  on  Net  Neutrality,  TRAI recommendations on the subject and comments & suggestions received in this regard.

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