Respected Regulatory Authority,
I have recently come across the Consultation Paper on Regulatory Framework for Over-the-top (OTT) services.
Please find below my comments, as a stakeholder, below -
1)
Along with the various rights granted to me by the Indian constitution,
I believe in the right to free market and indiscriminate selection of
the legal services I decide to use. If restrictions are imposed on OTT
providers or if they affect net neutrality, this would severely affect
my fundamental right as it feels like I am being forced to use the
services only offered to me and me not being able to use the service I
am paying for due to regulations.
2)
While I agree on the security aspects of the OTT providers, wouldn't
this fall under the ambit of the TSP's ? Shouldn't they be helping in
reinforcing and establishing security ?
3)
How can I, as a consumer/customer (who in Gandhi's words is the most
important visitor on whom these TSP's are dependent) be forced to
abandon or change my net usage patterns given the Bandwidth filtering
that might be imposed on me by the TSP's if net neutrality isn't
assured? How will I be protected against the vested interests of a few
product owners who might ensure their sites get the best bandwidths? Why
should my choice be deterred by the speed offered to me?
4)
Please take into account my honest views on this subject matter and do
let me know if I need to clarify any of the above points, in case they
happen to be ambiguous, contradictory or against a particular Law or
ruling which I might be unaware of.
Thanking you for asking for our comments on this issue,
Yours Sincerely,
Mridul Negi