AIB refreshes the Net neutrality debate for you, as the deadline to submit comments on MyGov.in ends today

Monday, 17 August 2015|

Hardik Bhawsar

AIB refreshes the Net neutrality debate for you, as the deadline to submit comments on MyGov.in ends today

The deadline for submitting your suggestions on the Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) draft report on the issue of net neutrality is August 15, that means you have limited time to register your response. These responses will be considered by the government to take a decision on the net neutrality issue along with TRAI’s suggestions following the consultation process.

But unlike the older method where you had to send an email to TRAI, the new way to register your responses is through MyGov.in. You will need to be a registered member first. Here is how you add in your comment to the draft report.

The homepage of the MyGov.in website has Net Neutrality as on of its lead pages

The homepage of the MyGov.in website has Net Neutrality as one of its lead pages

When you click on the Net Neutrality box, you land up on a page which shows you the latest comments submitted. If you aren’t logged in you will need to do so, before adding your comment

If you are not already registered, then you will be directed to a registration screen, where you will need to put in your name and email ID. Mobile number is an optional field.

If you are not already registered, then you will be directed to a registration page, where you will need to put in your name and email ID. Mobile number is an optional field. Post that, you will be able to add in your comment

After this, you will be able to add in your comment as well. At the time of writing over 23,000 submissions were in. But it is not an extremely smooth process, as we experienced that it takes time to register. According to many users even after registering, it takes its own time to post your comment.

Here’s how the comment box looks like. Note that there is a 500-character limit for your comment

The DoT panel report had created a furore. The panel report earned sharp criticism from large section in the country as it proposed regulation of domestic calls made using Internet-based calling or VoIP applications such as Skype, Whatsapp and Viber, and put them on par with phone call services offered by telecom operators. At present, consumers can make a minute VoIP calls at almost negligible price compared to traditional calls.

The panel also opposed projects like Facebook’s Internet.org, which allows access to certain websites without mobile data charges, while suggesting that similar plans such as Airtel Zero be allowed with prior clearance from TRAI.

Mumbai based comedy collective All India Bakchod has also released a video around this issue, asking Indians to go ahead and register their responses to keep internet free from any sort of regulation.

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