Dear TRAI,

I am writing to express my concern against the actions that telecom carriers are taking to restrict fair access to the internet (Net Neutrality). I believe the internet is a vital resource - it helps me communicate, work, and thrive as a citizen. I am a computer science engineer and I live on the internet. If Airtel is going to charge me more for using Google and allow me to use Bing for free, it would hamper me a lot because I use Google every single day and Bing doesn't suit me. If telecom operators can discriminate internet traffic on the basis of which services pay the most, we are allowing telcos control over a vital and necessary technological resource. By doing so we allow them to define what information we can view; what entertainment we can access; and how companies can innovate. This is equivalent to curtailing people's freedom of speech. Our constitution entitles every Indian citizen to freedom of speech and I strongly believe that what these telecom companies are doing is directly equivalent to blocking this freedom.

This is completely unfair and harms India's long term role in the global market. I strongly believe the growth of telecoms and the well-being of the internet can go hand-in-hand. I'm asking for a framework to ensure long term and fair access for all services regardless of size. I want my generation and those that come after me to have unfettered access to the Internet, with no telcos or ISPs having the ability to charge for specific services I use on top of it. Please understand that the internet is an important resource and vital to me and to every other Indian citizen. I would like to see it kept free and protected under Net Neutrality to ensure fair and equal access for all and forever. The USA government has already ruled in favour of Net Neutrality and they are flourishing. Net Neutrality in India will help Indian companies in the long run and will be vital is helping our tech companies reach great heights (I am part of the Indian tech industry and I have big dreams. If I am going to be charged more for certain services, my productivity will be hampered). I would like to see the Internet kept free and these telecom companies should not be able to charge users in an unfair manner.

I hope the government listens to the Indian citizens' petitions (Our government is Of the people, By the people and most importantly, FOR the people) and takes necessary action against these companies and keep them in check.

Regards,

Madhusudhan