The TRAI released its recommendations on Net Neutrality today, affirming the Net Neutrality principles of non discrimination, which will govern the ability of telecom operators and ISPs to speed up or slow down Internet access for apps. These recommendations will have to be accepted by the Department of Telecom, which will have to make changes to the license agreements of telecom operators, to make Net Neutrality a part of the license agreement. Download the recommendations here. Net Neutrality is the principle which ensures that telecom operators and ISPs aren't allowed to bundle access to websites/apps on the Internet, speed up or slow down certain sites, or charge differently for different websites/apps. In its recommendation/ruling, the TRAI has said the following: Non discriminatory Internet access: Internet access services should be governed by a principle that restricts any form of discrimination or interference in the treatment of content. "Discriminatory treatment shall include any form of discrimination, restriction or interference in the treatment of content, including practices like blocking, degrading, slowing down or granting preferential speeds or treatment to any content." Amendments to the license agreements: Amendments need to be made under Access Service licenses like UL, VNO, CMTS, UASL, so that these changes become a part of the license conditions, but also have kept open the option of acting "upon it under the TRAI Act, 1997, including on issues relating to quality of services, consumer protection, transparency, and monitoring of compliance." Specialised services: "Nothing contained in this provision shall restrict: the provision of any Specialised…
