Net Neutrality - An Enterprise Advantage

Trending debate on Net Neutrality and Zero charging has made opening arguments in favor or against it difficult. But a reasoned debate demands that examples, proof and analogies and practice are evaluated dispassionately to arrive at any conclusion.

A call collect number such as the 1-800 series where the called party pays is very common and well known to anyone who uses a phone. Sellers and employers pay the premium without any hesitation which is far outweighed by the benefits of a sale or service or increased employee engagement in case of employers. For a long time, Telecom providers have had contrast data offers: Value added services and internet access, like “Airtel Live” primarily fulfilled by the third party. However, Internet crowd world over have completely looked over the free-of-charge “walled gardens” for the open meadows of free-in-spirit internet access.

Facebook’s ‘Internet.org’ or Airtel’s ‘Zero plan’ are similar walled gardens, with an obviously different objective: additional eyeballs for internet services and in turn, data revenue for telecom providers from a part of their subscriber base that could not have afforded internet access otherwise.

Internet, like a phone call, is a basic right which cannot be controlled. However, it may absolutely be aided by third parties. Some fear that the flip side of Zero charging could be large internet companies buying exclusive rights, countering young start-ups from challenging their monopoly. Adding to the fire is TRAI’s compiled and unrelated questionnaire asking for opinions on the need to regulate internet applications such as Skype and WhatsApp. There are concerns that zero charging will ultimately lead to consumers having to buy app-specific packs to access them.

If true, this is something that would not, rather should not be tolerated. But with a large, competitive market full of choices on broadband and mobile internet subscriptions and our unique Indian enterprise genes to back us, a nexus of all big telecom and internet holding us all at ransom seems rather unlikely.

While this debate tempers, there is one facet that is overlooked. That is, if we view this free data access offer from an enterprise perspective, the outcome can be quite different. Today, a mobile phone is the most affordable connect personal computer choice. Large and small enterprises are targeting mobile phones to roll out operational solutions, replacing their employee’s rigid routine of paper notes, evening commute to office and data entry using computers.

Call it foresight, but a few months ago, we had written in a leading business daily about the changing landscape of enterprise applications in the “mobile First” era and how telecom companies respond, urge them to extend their sophisticated data billing capabilities to enterprise application providers, much like toll-free numbers. This would free employees from paying for Job-related data charges. Zero charging also ways off employers from having to manage large number of mobile subscriptions for their workforce, which reports a high turnover rate.

Therefore, while fighting the activism of the vigilant internet crowd and slow growth of data users operators must not forget that there is a real opportunity with enterprises and business users by enabling data reverse charging transparently and as an add on to the current Internet offerings, much like the toll-free numbers.

By Ambarish Chaudhari

The author is Chief Technological Officer & Co-Founder, Node Technologies – Bangalore.