COAI Reaffirms Support for Net Neutrality, says Internet should be for all

docomo-vs-relianceThe COAI today reaffirmed its support to Net Neutrality and made a strong pitch for ‘Net Equality’ that will enable access to Internet for a Billion Indians as part of the Government’s Digital India vision.  Clearing misconceptions that have arisen from the recent public debate over net neutrality and concerns over operators who are trying to control the consumers’ access to the Internet, COAI said:

  • Make Telecom Talk My Trusted Source
  • Source of Google
  • Source of Google
  • We support an open Internet and believe that consumers, should decide what to do online. Our job is to enable consumers to benefit from that freedom.
  • We offer choice and do not block or provide any preferential access to any web site or app.

COAI said its members are fully committed to investing in the Government of India’s Digital India vision and need an enabling environment that promotes the growth of the entire Internet ecosystem.

Create an Enabling and Equal Environment

Without infrastructure and investment, there will be no Internet access. The operators have invested billions of dollars in license fees, spectrum fees and network roll-outs. Yet the Industry still makes negative return on the capital employed.

The industry estimates the country would need an additional capital outay of INR 300,000 to 500,000 crores over the next 10 years in spectrum, new technology, equipment, towers, optical fibre backbone, etc., to meet the PM’s vision of Digital India, and connect 1 billion Indians to the exciting world of Internet. The need of the hour, therefore, is to have a sustainable industry that has the ability to invest in growth of data services and connectivity to all.