back to article No 'Pai-day' for India: nation to adopt strict network neutrality

India has decided to implement a formal Internet neutrality regime. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) responded to a lively year-long debate with a statement opposing any “discriminatory treatment” of Internet data. TRAI said its recommendations were designed to prevent ISPs in the country from either …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    <gasp>

    A government actually caring (or at least looking after) the interests of its citizens? Impressive.

    1. Andrew Orlowski (Written by Reg staff)

      Re: <gasp>

      No. A Government was lobbied by one massive corporation to shaft another massive corporation, and gave in. The ad market in India now belongs to Google: a monopoly, rather than the duopoly we have here:

      https://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/03/08/india_belongs_to_google/

      It's called "crony capitalism".

      1. strum

        Re: <gasp>

        >It's called "crony capitalism".

        Bullshit. If you're worried about Google's market share, address that issue directly. Don't hobble every startup, just so Google might be inconvenienced a little.

        1. Andrew Orlowski (Written by Reg staff)

          Re: <gasp>

          Your positing the hypothetical of ISPs choking startups against the reality of Google, Facebook choking startups. OK, then.

          "If you're worried about Google's market share..."

          Why the if? Is competition optional? The economic dominance by a few big players is not a trivial issue. There hasn't been a competitor emerge for over a decade. And where did your personal data go today? You do't know and neither do I.

          Title II repeal keeps an easily distracted mob busy, while the Sans Culotte butcher "draws dotted lines on their hides".

    2. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Meh

      Re: <gasp>

      "A government actually caring (or at least looking after) the interests of its citizens?"

      that's the appearance they're trying to give, yeah.

      thing is, it's like socialism: everything gets to be "equally mediocre".

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Role reversal

    Looks like roles are getting reversed. Before Modi this would have likely never happened. Corruption and lobbying in India would have prevented this.

    Likewise, before Trump, the US seemed to be going a sensible way, with net neutrality being a requirement for every ISP.

    1. Mark 85

      Re: Role reversal

      Well, some do say the dark times are upon us. The way things are going, they may just be right.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So....

    ...does this mean India climbs the CPI while the US (and no doubt UK) slide down? Or does multi-billion pound lobbying not count?

  4. Dan 55 Silver badge

    Good. Probably.

    At least small startups get a look in, at least in India. They wouldn't have the clout to strike deals with ISPs.

    Hopefully the ruling hasn't gone too far the other way. QoS rules for technical reasons are generally a desirable thing, does banning “discriminatory treatment” outlaw QoS?

    1. Jimmy2Cows Silver badge

      Re: Good. Probably.

      Probably not. Providers will either reduce the QoS guarantees offered, or have to <gasp> invest in infrastructure improvements to meet the higher QoS guarantees.

      My money's on the former.

      1. vgrig_us

        Re: Good. Probably.

        No, you can still do QoS. You can say prioritize SIP, but only all of SIP, not just yours or provider's that paid for it.

    2. bombastic bob Silver badge
      Devil

      Re: Good. Probably.

      "does banning “discriminatory treatment” outlaw QoS?"

      probably. In My Bombastic Opinion, anyway...

  5. Fruit and Nutcase Silver badge
    Joke

    As American as

    Apple Pie Ajit Pai

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    contrasting mentality

    Predictable that India sees the internet as the enabler to improve the lives and economy of its citizens and countries like say the USA see the internet as a means to push Film TV and shopping.

  7. sloshnmosh

    Ajit Pai

    Pai is only doing what the people asked.

    It seems that millions of Americans were on the same page as far as getting rid of Net Neutrality...

    so much so that the millions of comments aqainst it were virtually identical.

    1. Naich

      Re: Ajit Pai

      The strength of feeling against net neutrality was so strong that even dead people were coming out against it.

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