Airtel India, one of the leading mobile and Internet providers in the country recently announced that it will charge pre paid mobile customers more for using certain over the top services – starting off with VoIP services (such as Skype and Viber). The costs are in the range of Rs. 16 per minute of Skype, a huge cost to those users who access the Internet through the mobile route. 

While Airtel has backed down and reversed its aforesaid plans following a public outcry, the implications of the original announcement are clear – Airtel has indicated that it is willing to act as a gate-keeper of the Internet: restricting access to certain content / applications / services based on how much you can pay.

See attached for the full release.

You can see the concerns.

It is unilateral actions like these without an official policy guideline that is worrying. Which brings me to the reason why I'm writing this note.

Again I ask:-

1. If Telcos in Kenya decide to behave the same way what is our recourse? Remember Airtel is active here too.

2. What is our official government (People of Kenya) position on Net Neutrality. This an issue that CANNOT be wished away and we urge policy makers to come out strongly on this issue. By the way positions like these will mean that not every one is happy about what that Position will be but at least we will have a guideline.