Skip to main content

Net neutrality goes viral in India


The Net neutrality bug is here in India. This refers to the notion of fair treatment of online traffic so as to encourage access to all websites at a constant speed and with the same cost.

The bone of contention was Airtel – a leading Indian telecom company – which recently launched a new marketing platform called ‘Airtel Zero’ where online businesses would pay to have visitors browse their sites for free. This created an uproar, as many demanded that the internet remain a neutral zone where all data should be accessible.

The issue has picked up steam in India – one of the biggest internet markets with 180 million users. As of April 2015, more than 800,000 Indians joined this campaign within the first week of its launch by activists.

Is net neutrality an achievable goal in India and globally?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) is set to open doors for Vietnamese exporters

On 30 June, 2019, the European Union signed its first free trade deal with a developing Asian country – Vietnam, one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia. The EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) would reduce 99% of tariffs on goods and services traded between European and Vietnamese markets. WVietnam’s exports to the EU were valued at 50 billion euros in 2018. This figure is expected to increase by 40% by 2025 under EVFTA. Between the years 2024 – 2028, the agreement would boost Vietnam’s gross domestic product by 5 to 6% annually. Will the EVFTA herald a closer economic relationship between Vietnam and Europe? For more information :  https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/the-european-union-vietnam-free-trade-agreement-evfta-is-set-to-open-doors-for-vietnamese-exporters/

2022: Recovery or Resurgence?

  The Covid-19 pandemic officially marks a grim second year this year. Nonetheless, there is some optimism among scientists that while the virus will become endemic, its threat to human life could reduce over time.  In the first of a three-part Spirethoughts instalment examining analysts’ predictions for the new year ahead, we look at 3 economic and social trends that are likely to affect the global economy in 2022.   Debt and inflation to grow . Global debt accelerated during the pandemic as governments continued to borrow. Twenty-five nations, including the US and China, now have total debt amounting to more than 300% of GDP, as central banks contribute to inflation by printing money, deepening the debt trap. Inflation, while on the rise, seems unlikely to hit the historic double-digit levels of the 1970s, as government spending should ease in 2022.   Industries overheat amid global warming “greenflation”.  The other continuing story with global imp...

The Philippines - Asia's next economic powerhouse

The Philippines is emerging as one of Asia’s most dynamic economies, with a forecasted growth rate of 6.9 per cent in 2018 driven by investment and private consumption. The economy recorded growth of over 6 per cent in 2017, for the sixth straight year, thanks to buoyant government spending, exports and a recovery in the agricultural sector. Will this Southeast Asian tiger be able to maintain its momentum? A growing economy While advanced economies like the United States, Europe and Japan are growing at slow rate, a number of emerging economies like the Philippines continue to surge ahead. With annual growth expected to reach 6.9 per cent by 2018, the Philippines now ranks as the 10th fastest growing economy globally. Owing to strong domestic demand and government projects, the country’s economy is on the rise. The government’s expansionary fiscal policy has aided capital formation and credit growth, whereas low inflation has strengthened private consumption. Path...

Spirethoughts: Saving India’s farmers

Rural farming in India could benefit immensely from solar energy, as farmers can use water pumps that are powered by solar panels to irrigate farms; balancing out the electricity provided for urban dwellers in the process. This is crucial as approximately 18 million of the country’s 25 million water pump sets are linked to the national electric grid. To address the nation’s power shortage, a joint-venture will be formed between six state-owned companies in Mumbai, including Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd and Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd, to build a 4-gigawatt solar photovoltaic farm by the end of 2016. The price would be INR10 cheaper than the lowest power bid in India. Once the government grant has been received, this would change the way clean energy is generated; providing light through solar energy to 70 percent of the population residing in the urban areas. Is solar energy becoming a transformative resource for rural farmers? http://www.spireresearch.com/ne...

China’s landfills: Can waste be turned into energy?

260 million used tires are dumped in landfills all over the world. These tires contaminate groundwater and create clouds of black grime when they ignite, releasing toxins into the atmosphere. IFW Recycling Corporation based in the U.S. sees these old tires as a clean, green and efficient source of fuel. The tires are gassed to result in usable diesel fuel. This does not cause pollution and creates by-products for further use such as distilled water, carbon black and ash. With China emerging as one of the world’s biggest polluters, its government is seeking alternatives to coal-fired electricity generation. This could be one of them. https://www.spireresearch.com/newsroom/spirethoughts/chinas-landfills-can-waste-be-turned-into-energy/