DOT to set up panel to monitor net neutrality

The Department of Telecom is in the process of setting up multi-stakeholder body for monitor and enforcement of net neutrality.

The panel will comprise government officials, telecom operators, Internet of Things providers, civil society members and consumers, said an official in the DoT.

Since the monitoring and enforcement functions with respect to net neutrality will rest with DoT, it will form a panel for its implementation.

The DoT already amended licence rules by incorporating clauses related to net neutrality.

The net neutrality bars service providers from discriminating against internet content and services by blocking, throttling or granting preferential higher speeds.

The new amendments states that "a telecom licence holder providing internet access service shall not engage in any discriminatory treatment of content, including based on sender or receiver, the protocols being used in or user equipment."

The Telecom Commission, the highest decision-making body of the DOT last month approved the implementation of net neutrality as recommended by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India with slight modification.

The TRAI had recommended restrictions on service providers from entering into agreements which lead to discriminatory treatment of content on the internet.

The Telecom Commission has decided to keep critical internet of things services, which shall be identified by DoT, to be excluded from the restrictions of net neutrality.

A licence amendment note of DOT directing its various licencing division said that the government is committed to the fundamental principles and concepts of net neutrality.