I would like to answer some arguments raised by a colleague
regarding my stand on opposing the newly introduced VOIP regulations by Airtel.
Q. Airtel has
every right to regulate traffic on its network and charge extra for some
services. It’s just like putting toll on a freeway, you can choose to pay or
not!
A. I am
paying a hefty amount already for the data pack. In every logical sense, it
should cover “data” charges in every form. The provider need not bother how I’m
using my data cap as long as I’m paying. Same amount of infrastructure needed,
same number of bytes transferred, same is the costs involved. So why charge
extra?
Q. This
doesn’t come under the cause for Net Neutrality because they are not
blocking/censoring any services.
A. Putting a
toll on free things is no different than cutting access to it. It also risks
shaping the internet industry in India in a way that is completely
anti-consumer and will hold back country from utilising full potential of the
web. Given the current upward trend of rocketing data costs, this would only
add to the misery of consumers.
Q. Telecom
companies need a fair playground; companies like Skype and Viber are eating
into their revenue cutting in on voice/video messaging.
A. The usage
of VOIP in this country has grown to such scale in such short time only because
of the availability of these free providers (Over The Top players – Skype,
WhatsApp, Viber). So they are not cutting into the telecom revenue, rather
creating more revenue for telecoms by encouraging data usage. You can easily
visualize the broader picture if you analyse the price hikes for data packs in
recent times along with the exponentially increasing number of internet users.
At the end of the balance sheet, Telecoms have gained multitudes of what they
have said to have apparently lost.
Q. The policy
doesn’t affect the common man, VOIP services are only used by the elite class
minority who have the means to pay for the extra charges. This uprising by a
minority would force the Telecoms to increase the data rates further and
deteriorate the internet experience for even the majority of consumers (Aam
Aadhmi) who use internet for bare necessities like education.
A. We are
living in an age where technologies like video conference and tele-presence are
throwing in their best to improve interaction between team mates, business
partners or even family members, at the fraction of the cost of actually
travelling and meeting people. Would you prefer a Skype call for Rs 50 or a
train ride costing atleast tenfold of it and wasting your precious hours? Rich
or poor, it is always a great feeling to see and talk to your dear ones. So in
that note, VOIP should be subsidized, not charged extra.
