INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Net neutrality ensures that users can access all websites at the same speed and
cost
India has adopted recommendations strongly backing net neutrality that experts say could be the "strongest" in the
world.Net neutrality means service providers must treat all traffic equally, and not charge differently based on content
The recommendations explicitly forbid operators from throttling data speeds for any online service, and mandates all content be treated the
India is expected to have 500 million internet users by June
"Any deviations and violations of the rules of net neutrality -- which come into effect almost immediately -- will be met with stiff
penalties," telecom secretary Aruna Sundarajan told Indian reporters
The net neutrality principle is considered a cornerstone of a free and open internet that provides equal access to all and bans "any form"
of data discrimination.Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
India is home to more than 462 million internet users
The country's adoption of the November 2017 recommendations by the Telecom Regulatory Association of India (TRAI) comes amid an
ongoing global debate on net neutrality
Last month, the US officially repealed rules that governed the way net providers treated the data that travelled across their
networks.India's fight for net neutrality began in 2015, says technology analyst Prasanto K Roy.Telecom operator Airtel was forced to
withdraw a plan to charge extra for internet calls, and shut down a platform called Airtel Zero, which allowed customers to access a few
mobile applications for free
Some operators call this "toll-free data", but it's popularly known as "zero rating"
Others, including Facebook and Google, were also forced to abandon their zero-rating platforms and deals
The most visible casualty was Facebook's Free Basics service, which offered Indians free access to a limited number of websites.In March
2015, the telecom regulator published a paper on net neutrality, triggering a million emails from the public, egged on by activists who set
up websites like savetheinternet.in
