To whomsoever it may concern,

 

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 to me personally as well as to a number of other, smaller businesses—it helps us communicate, work, and thrive as citizens and as innovators. 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. Ergo, any number of growing, deserving companies, some of whom may be created by young Indian Internet-based entrepreneurs, will not be able to compete against large companies which will be able to pay their way to exposure.

 

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. There was a long period when licensing was essential for the functioning of any business; I hope you can agree that a return to those times will only be a detriment to the economic health of the nation.

 

Regards,

Chinmay Pai