The Ministry of Communications and IT has stated that it has constituted a six-member committee under the Department of Telecommunications to prepare a report on Net Neutrality by mid-May 2015. The committee will conduct its research independent of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). This comes with a view to allow the government to make a comprehensive decision on the subject.
TRAI had recently initiated a consultation paper on whether over-the-top services or apps, which are delivered over the network of mobile phone operators, should be licensed or regulated. The regulator has asked key industry stakeholders to send in suggestions on the same by April 24, 2015 while counter-arguments by May 8, 2015. Thereafter, TRAI may come out with its recommendations on the subject.
