Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended to Department of Telecommunications (DoT) the setting up of a Multi-Stakeholder Body (MSB) to ensure that Internet access providers adhere to the provisions of net neutrality in their licence.

“The role of the MSB shall be to provide advice and support to DoT in monitoring and enforcing net neutrality principles. The MSB shall comprise all telecom service providers (TSPs) and ISPs (licence holders) and other stakeholders such as content providers, researchers, academic and technical community, civil society organisations, consumers and the government,” it said.

Non-profit entity

The recommendations — Traffic Management Practices (TMPs) and Multi-Stakeholder Body for net neutrality — put out on Tuesday said the MSB can be set up by DoT as a non-profit entity under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, by registering licensed service providers (UL, VNO license, UASL, and CMTS licensees) as mandatory members, and inviting and/or nominating other stakeholders to become its members.

“The MSB may further modify or define its structure and procedures with the approval of the DoT,” it said.

The MSB can seek comments from its members on the list of TMP submitted by IAS providers; compile and harmonise TMPs for the approval of DoT; maintain and publish the repository of TMPs; periodically review the TMPs listed in the repository of TMPs and perform tasks assigned by DoT related to net neutrality, it said.

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