Net-Neutrality: Concept, Stake Holders, Impacts, Benefits and Limitations

Net-neutrality: Concept, Stake holders, Impacts, Benefits and limitations

The Internet has transformed the world like no other technology. The Internet is a uniquely universal platform that uses the same standards in every country, so that every user can interact with every other user in ways unimaginable. No one actually owns the Internet, and no single person or organization controls the Internet.

Open access to the Internet has revolutionized the way individuals communicate and collaborate, entrepreneurs and corporations conduct business, and governments and citizens interact. While Internet adoption is growing worldwide, so is Internet traffic per connection, due to the increasing move to higher bandwidth broadband access connections, the corresponding adoption of relatively data-heavy Internet applications (such as audio and video streaming) and increased adoption of devices, such as smart phones, that are optimized to access these applications, and the coming of newer messaging and communication applications.

The debate about the open Internet and net neutrality started in the US, when some of the Internet Service Providers, throttling peer to peer traffic, blocking certain applications. This led to wide spread debate on the importance to maintain, and strengthen, the open and sustainable Internet that has enabled not just the growth, but also the evolution of the Internet and  for the Internet to remain an engine for innovation, free expression, and economic growth.

NET NEUTRALITY CONCEPT

There is no standard definition of Net Neutrality. In the strict sense, net neutrality is the principle of equal treatment between packets moving across the IP infrastructure. However, net neutrality has been used more broadly to describe the openness of the Internet. The concept of net neutrality can be best understood by studying a few prominent definitions

BEREC (Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications) has used the following description of net neutrality a literal interpretation of network neutrality, for working purposes, is the principle that all electronic communication passing through a network is treated equally. That all communication is treated equally means that it is treated independent of                  

• Content,
• Application,
• Service,
• Device,
• Sender address, and
• Receiver address.

Sender and receiver address implies that the treatment is independent of end user and content/application/service provider

Another definition, by Tim Wu, the Professor who coined the word “ Net Neutrality”,  states, Network neutrality is best defined as a network design principle. The idea is that a maximally useful public information network aspires to treat all content, sites and platforms equally. This allows the network to carry every form of information and support every kind of application. 

For other proponents, Net neutrality means ensuring that all end users are able to access the content, applications and services of their choice at the same level of service quality, Internet speed and price, with no priority or degradation based on the type of content, applications or services. Under this view, data is transmitted on a “best efforts” basis, with limited exceptions.

OPEN INTERNET : Related to Net Neutrality is the concept of Open Internet. The idea of an open Internet is the idea that the full resources of the Internet and means to operate on it are easily accessible to all individuals and companies. This often includes ideas such as net neutrality, open standards, transparency, lack of Internet censorship, and low barriers to entry.

The concept of the open Internet is sometimes expressed as an expectation of decentralized technological power, and is seen by some as closely related to open-source software. Proponents often see net neutrality as an important component of an open Internet, where policies such as equal treatment of data and open web standards allow those on the Internet to easily communicate and conduct business without interference from a third party.

The Core principles of Net Neutrality can be summarised as below

• Equal access to the internet is a right.
• Freedom to choose
• Freedom of expression
• Protection of Free speech
• Choice of content , applications & to attach any devices
• Openness
• No Restrictions on access
• No Throttling
• No Censorship
• No Discrimination

Stake holders:

The increasing importance of the Internet for society has led to intense discussions about how to preserve and enhance this shared resource as an open platform for all kinds of electronic communication. End users’ and content and applications providers’ ability to use the Internet, as well as the Internet service providers’ and network operators’ ability to build the underlying infrastructure are important aspects of this ongoing debate. The Danger to Net Neutrality is real. The various stake holders can be broadly classified as

TSP/ISP : Telecommunications Service Provider and Internet service providers: These companies provide the means to connect the Internet to homes and businesses. They invest in wireline and wireless networks that facilitate access and seek to recoup those costs and generate profits by providing services to the public and other customers.

Consumers and Civil Society : The public uses connections provided by Internet service providers and Telecom Service Providers to access the Internet, which provides global links to family, friends and services. 

Content Providers /OTT  : Technology companies provide services and content to the public. They depend on Internet service providers and telecommunications companies for delivery. They include companies such as Amazon, Google and Netflix, which all deliver entertainment and media to the public.

Startups : rely on the open Internet for offering services to customers: pay-to-play regulations that give preferential speed to established companies would inhibit competition. 

Regulator/Government : They set the policies, regulations and the rules that best benefit the citizens of the respective countries.