Lok Sabha Question No. 67 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-02-24
Subject: Net Neutrality
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: SRINIVAS KESINENI, SHOBHA KARANDLAJE, PRATHAP SIMHA, KOTHA PRABHAKAR REDDY, (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE, M. B. RAJESH, SUKENDER REDDY GUTHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.67 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th  FEBRUARY, 2016

## NET NEUTRALITY

67. SHRI KESINENI NANI:

KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY KOTHA:

ADV. JOICE GEORGE:

SHRI M.B. RAJESH:

SHRI GUTHA SUKENDER REDDY:

Will  the  Minister  of  COMMUNICATIONS  AND  INFORMATION  TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has finalised any policy decision on the net neutrality after public consultation;
- (b) if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (c) the Government's view on the Free Basic service launched by Facebook and the steps taken in this regard;
- (d) the Government's position on regulation of Voice over Internet Services that are in direct competition with the voice services provided by the telecom operators who pay a license fee for provision of services; and
- (e) the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  internet  services available to every citizen in the country?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) & (b) No, Madam.

Government policy on Net Neutrality shall be finalized after taking into account recommendations  of  committee  constituted  by  Department  of  Telecommunication, recommendations of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and other inputs to the Government. TRAI recommendations on the issue are awaited.

- (c) Free Basics is type of Zero-Rated Platform from Facebook in partnership with Telecom/ Internet Service Providers, in which select websites/ applications on internet are provided free to the customers.

Recently,  TRAI  has  issued  the  'Prohibition  of  Discriminatory  Tariffs  for  Data Services   Regulations, 2016' on 8 th February 2016, wherein following is mandated:

- i. No  service  provider  shall  offer  or  charge  discriminatory  tariffs  for  data services on the basis of content.
- ii. No  service  provider  shall  enter  into  any  arrangement,  agreement  or contract, by whatever name called, with any person, natural or legal, that has  the  effect  of  discriminatory  tariffs  for  data  services  being  offered  or charged by the service provider for the purpose of evading the prohibition in this regulation.
- iii. Reduced tariff for accessing or providing emergency services, or at times of public emergency has been permitted.

(d) TRAI has issued a consultation paper 'Regulatory Framework for Over the Top (OTT)  Service'  on  27.03.2015,  which  includes  regulatory  treatment  of  Voice  over Internet  Protocol  (VoIP).  Government  will  take  a  position  on  this  aspect  after  the outcome of this consultation process of TRAI.

(e) In    its  endeavor   to make  internet  services available to every citizen  in the country, Government has planned to connect all the 2,50,000 Gram Panchayats in the country through optical fibre, utilizing existing fibres of PSUs viz. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited(BSNL),  RailTel  and  Power  Grid  Corporation  of  India  (PGCIL)and  laying incremental  fibre  wherever  necessary.  This  activity  is  being  executed  by  a  Special Purpose  Vehicle  (SPV)  namely  Bharat  Broadband  Network  Limited  (BBNL)  under BharatNet / National Optical Fibre Network (NOFN) project. The project is being funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). Nondiscriminatory access to the network will be provided to all the telecom service providers.

Apart  from  BharatNet  /  NOFN  project,  Government  through  USOF  has  also undertaken rural wireline broadband scheme at pan India level and optical fibre network augmentation schemes in Assam and North East region for making  internet services available in every part of the country.

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