[governance] Net neutrality on mobiles

[parminder]

Hi All

The biggest mobile operator in India, Airtel, is providing Facebook free 
of data download charges in India (apparently, only for 2 months). I 
understand this is happening in other countries too; i read about 
something similar in Russia.

I consider this as an outright violation of net neutrality (NN).

Since there are existing codes of conduct on NN in some countries like 
Norway and Brazil, I will like to know from those who know and 
understand these country specific arrangements well if such a thing as 
above will be considered a NN violation under these codes.

If indeed developing countries are to have any chance of being a part of 
shaping and governing the future of the Internet, we should start 
testing such cases as above with the telecom regulatory  authourities, 
and if needed with courts and anti-trust bodies.

Parminder

PS: See latest developments on NN debate in the US at

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/08/google-verizon-close-to-their-own-net-neutrality-deal.ars 


It appears that there is some move to treat wireless or mobile based 
Internet on a different level vis a vis NN than wired Internet.

As the largest market players - here, Verizon and Google - seek to 
arrive at a mutually convenient  arrangement, and the only other party 
to it is the US gov, itself representing very partisan, and largely 
dominant, interests, as far as the global public Internet is concerned, 
the real shape of global IG is quite evident. Where does the IGF, and 
indeed the IGC come into this may be a question that we need to ponder 
upon.



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