The Department of Telecommunications has constituted a panel to examine the economic impact of implementation of net neutrality principle on the telecom sector. The move comes after telecom operators asked for regulation of over-the-top (OTT) services like Skype, WhatsApp and Viber. While the net-neutrality principle requires access to internet or any internet-based service to be without any barrier or discrimination, telecom operators are of the view that these OTT players are making a dent in their revenues.

The panel is expected to examine pursuit of net neutrality from public policy objective and delve into its advantages and limitations. The commission is also expected to put forward appropriate policy, regulatory and technical responses towards the issue.