To whom it may concern,

I've read in The Hindu online that TRAI seeks views on net neutrality, particularly on the question whether OTT services unfairly compete with telekoms operators in India. Prior to OTT services like Skype, Viber, Whatsapp and the like, IDD calls, which are prohibitively expensive, especially to overseas lines, were the only link by phone, and beyond what the average person could afford except for the briefest exchange. If OTT services are going to be charged then India is going to plunge into silence again. Perhaps TRAI could initiate a study exploring ties between India's rising economy and accessiblity to internet and mobile communication via OTT. 

For those of us outside India calling in to family and friends and business, poor line quality and frequent disconnection has always been frustrating, and that has not changed in all the years. Of course, OTT services ride piggyback on these connections. If Telekoms operators could improve their infrastructure, likely customers would prefer a reliable and secure line to OTT services when making business calls or other important personal calls. But as it is, high price of Telekoms calls is hard to justify when services are no better than the OTT.

Hope this is helpful.

Yours truly - Diane Chan, in Malaysia