Net neutrality is a hot topic in the United States today. Few issues have sparked the kind of public reaction than the various attempts by large conglomerates and telephone operators to push through legislation that would dismantle the basic principles that govern the Internet. The presence or absence of net neutrality has the potential to affect consumers, startups, ISPs, media companies, software developers, and virtually every entity that uses the Internet.
With emerging economies like India and China catching up with the West in terms of internet infrastructure, debates over net neutrality are becoming common there as well. Just this month, one of India’s largest mobile phone operators, Bharti Airtel, announced plans to start charging extra for VoIP calls made on its networks. Although the company said this move would improve conditions on its networks, it was nothing more than a blatant attempt to stop the growing wave of consumers using VoIP apps to call instead of using their carrier’s minutes.
Instead of upgrading their infrastructure to handle the extra load on data networks, these companies seek to charge consumers more for the same bandwidth just because it’s used differently. Imagine the uproar if the power company charged consumers more to use the television or the washing machine. Not surprisingly, consumers have protested against phone carriers charging more for VoIP or other specific types of data.
The situation is not new, as US airlines have also tried to do the same in the past. The company has now backtracked on its plans in the face of public opposition and the threat of investigations by regulators. However, it is likely that mobile operators will try again in the future, as they stand to lose the most from the transition to VoIP.
The net neutrality debates in India are extremely important in determining the future of VoIP. Emerging countries will likely be the fastest growing markets for VoIP in the next decade. Aside from the large number of potential users who would be deprived of VoIP simply due to high Internet costs, the growth of VoIP even in the corporate sector would be stifled. In a short time we would be facing an Internet that forks into fast and slow lanes and where companies will have to pay ISPs to reach consumers.
A breach of net neutrality principles in India, the United States, Europe and China will set VoIP back decades. Let’s hope lawmakers wake up and preserve net neutrality instead of stifling competition and technological innovation.