India's telecom regulator has backed net neutrality with a free and open internet, while allowing carriers or internet service providers to use some traffic management practices (TMPs) as long as they're transparent and their impact on users is declared.The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India ( Trai ) which has been debating the hot issue of net neutrality for nearly two years, said in its recommendations to the telecom department to amend license terms to prevent any kind of discrimination on internet services based on content, apps or any other service or data that travels on the internet. Internet access services should be governed by a principle that restricts any form of discrimination or interference in the treatment of content, including practices like blocking, degrading, slowing down or granting preferential speeds or treatment to any content," the regulator said in its detailed recommendations. "This principle would apply to any discriminatory treatment based on the sender or receiver, the network protocols, or the user equipment, but not to specialised services or other exclusions. It would also not restrict adoption of reasonable traffic management practices by the service provider," Trai added.Under the recommended rules, service providers will not be able to enter into any kind of arrangement or contract that can have the effect of discrimination based on content, sender, receiver, protocols or even equipment.The regulator has however exempted content delivery networks within a telco's own network from any restrictions on non-discriminatory treatment.Trai backs net neutrality, free and open internet.Allows carriers or internet access providers to use some traffic management practices (TMPs) as long as they're transparent and their impact on users is declared.Recommends amendment of license terms to incorporate principles of non-discriminatory treatment of content.Recommends restricting any form of discrimination or interference in the treatment of content, including practices like blocking, degrading, slowing down or granting preferential speeds or treatment to any content.Says discriminatory treatment based on the sender or receiver, the network protocols, or the user equipment will not be allowed.Exempts specialised services - those other than internet access services - have been exempted from principles of discriminatory treatment.Asks DoT to define the specialised services.Also exempts content delivery networks - used by telco to deliver content within its own network - from from principles of discriminatory treatment.Allows internet access service providers to take reasonable measures for traffic management, provided they're proportionate, transient and transparent.Allows for reasonable measures to preserve integrity and security of network , for provision of emergency services, a court order or government direction.Recommends telcos to declare their traffic management practices as and when deployed, and their impact on users.Recommends disclosures by telcos about specialised services, direct or indirect arrangements they enter into.Suggests DoT to set up a multi-stakeholder body for monitoring and investigation of violations.

Source: Economic Times November 28, 2017 07:00 UTC