From 097697cff5f0b9ab9f63a5a552047bdb234231ff Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Rabimba Karanjai Date: Sun, 27 Dec 2015 12:49:44 -0600 Subject: [PATCH] Removed example of Mozilla's experiments Both the Grameenphone and Orange examples are not good examples of equal rating but more of a fish and bait tactics. And it really does not bode well with what we are trying to achieve here. The idea is good but these two examples do not justify the idea and may cause more harm than good. Have already discussed with Mozilla Privacy telegram group about my concerns. The additional line I inserted can be neglected if it does not add any value. That was my own opinion;. --- src/index.html | 7 +++---- 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) diff --git a/src/index.html b/src/index.html index bf5393d..b161ac8 100644 --- a/src/index.html +++ b/src/index.html @@ -176,7 +176,7 @@

The Response

TSP’s should not be permitted to engage in differential pricing for data usage for accessing different websites, applications or platforms, for the following reasons:

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a) A non-discriminatory Internet decentralizes the sources of innovation because everyone can create Internet services and applications without having to obtain permission from telecom companies or platforms. It allows collaborators to create open source and free tools to provide an alternative to proprietary tools, and improve on them. Differential pricing will damage the character of the internet. The internet has developed till date on the basis of the end to end principle, where there has been user choice to determine what content and platforms are accessed. This has allowed the internet to organically develop into an ecosystem where information is shared across platforms. The power to control information is the biggest weapon in a democracy. Plurality and diversity of both views and platforms are important, and for this, the Internet needs to be kept open and neutral.

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a) Internet was supposed to be a free medium. It was supposed to be a service. Not a platform, not a commodity but a resource just like electricity,telephone. The content and applications all are built ON it. That is a crucial piece that safeguards it from being sued over abuse A non-discriminatory Internet decentralizes the sources of innovation because everyone can create Internet services and applications without having to obtain permission from telecom companies or platforms. It allows collaborators to create open source and free tools to provide an alternative to proprietary tools, and improve on them. Differential pricing will damage the character of the internet. The internet has developed till date on the basis of the end to end principle, where there has been user choice to determine what content and platforms are accessed. This has allowed the internet to organically develop into an ecosystem where information is shared across platforms. The power to control information is the biggest weapon in a democracy. Plurality and diversity of both views and platforms are important, and for this, the Internet needs to be kept open and neutral.

Price discrimination will incentivise the use of certain service providers or types of services. This will be against the agonistic function of TSP’s and impact the future growth of the internet, where only specialised services which are priced not as per a neutral meter of volume of data consumed. It will likely lead to walled garden and bouquet of services and reduce the diversity of Internet services to, “pay packs” where particular services are bundled together with no user choice or ability to freely access information.

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The Response

* Mozilla has also outlined methods that can provide the full internet at an affordable price without violating net neutrality. These methods are already operational in various countries around the world.

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a. Customers who buy a $40 Klif phone will get Orange and Mozilla will get unlimited talk time, text messaging, and 500MB a month for 6 months. Orange and Mozilla are currently testing this model in several African and Middle Eastern countries.

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b. Mozilla also tied up with Grameenphone in Bangladesh, working on a model in which users received access to 20 MB daily in exchange for watching a short ad in the phone’s marketplace.

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Question 3: Are there alternative methods/technologies/business models, other than differentiated tariff plans, available to achieve the objective of providing free internet access to the consumers? If yes, please suggest/describe these methods/technologies/business models. Also, describe the potential benefits and disadvantages associated with such methods/technologies/business models? @@ -268,7 +267,7 @@

The Response

“Could the private sector organize itself to provide a baseline “equal rating” for some amount of data necessary for modern life at discounted or no charge? Such a program would integrate the “version 1” private solution of limited access with the citizen demands for the opportunity and full inclusion of the full Open Internet. Perhaps those companies paying for the equal rating might get a “brought to you by” attribution that could bring brand value and network effects. Orange and Mozilla are experimenting with this sort of model in multiple African African and Middle Eastern markets, where users purchasing a $40 (USD) Klif phone receive unlimited talk, text, and 500 MB a month for 6 months.

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Another possible way of “equal-rating” content so it is free-of-charge to the user is a model where people watch ads in order to access other sites. Mozilla has been exploring this model in a partnership with Grameenphone (owned by Telenor) in Bangladesh, where users can receive 20MB of unrestricted data per day after watching a short ad in the phone’s marketplace.”

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Another possible way of “equal-rating” content so it is free-of-charge to the user is a model where people watch ads in order to access other sites.”

Some TSPs and Facebook have incorrectly framed a debate around access at the cost of network neutrality to further their commercial interests. As it is evident from the above models access does not come at the price of network neutrality.