Telecom firms reaffirm support to net neutrality

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 20

Under fire, the GSM mobile operators have reaffirmed support to net neutrality and pitched for ‘net equality’ that will enable access to internet for a billion Indians as part of the government’s Digital India vision.

The GSM operators’ umbrella body, the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), has urged all stakeholders to have a comprehensive and informed debate on net neutrality keeping in mind the requirements of India and its citizens.

Clearing misconceptions that have arisen from the recent public debate over net neutrality and concerns over operators who are trying to control the consumers’ access to the internet, the COAI said: “We support an open internet and believe that consumers should decide what to do online. Our job is to enable consumers to benefit from that freedom and offer choice and do not block or provide any preferential access to any website or app”.

It said its members were committed to investing in the government’s Digital India vision and needed an enabling environment that promoted growth of the entire internet ecosystem.