The internet, where to ?

After knocking on the gates of Europe, the discourse on the future of the internet has also reached Romania, in a debate entitled the Neutrality of Networks and the Sustainability of the Internet, organized by the Romanian telecom authority ANCOM and ApTI (the Association for Technology and Internet), held last week.

The principle of internet neutrality, which says that networks that provide internet access should treat equally all content, websites, platforms and applications, is being challenged by a series of arguments related to the need to administer the increasing amount of traffic and ensure the efficiency and sustainability of networks.

“The principle of internet neutrality has been consecrated by law only in theNetherlands, where regulations were set in place regarding conditions in which interventions can be made for prioritizing traffic, so that it does not constitute abuse. But, since studies show that over the next five years traffic in internet networks will increase fivefold, there is no way around this question, either in Europe or Romania: what is the best way to continue to provide free and equal access to the internet?” asked Catalin Marinescu, president of ANCOM.

Bogdan Manolea, executive manager of ApTI, supported the idea that to preserve the internet as it is today, the role of internet service providers should be defined more clearly as merely suppliers of internet access, with no role in the management of the content. He gave several examples in which ISPs inRomaniahad exceeded their remit as neutral vehicles for content.

Manolea quoted Sir Tim Berners Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, as having said, “In recent years, the debate has restarted on whether governments should issue legislation to protect the neutrality of the network. They should. Although generally, the internet and the web flourish in an environment that lacks regulations, some basic values should be protected by law.”

On the other hand Valentin Popoviciu, business development director at RCS&RDS, argues that something must be done to manage the increasing quantity of content operators must carry within their network. “There are now generators of very high traffic that networks must keep pace with. Maybe the best model would be for content suppliers to support the cost of the upgrade of the telecom network,” said Popoviciu, urging that “a model must be found on the long term which is sustainable and moves the internet forward.”

One of the main conclusions of the debate was that regulation at European level on the neutrality of the internet is not justified at the moment, but interventions should be different from state to state, to reflect conditions on that market. The minister of communications, Dan Nica, said the government would use all the tools in its arsenal to stimulate access to internet inRomania. He also announced the intention of the ministry to launch new e-government services, including an electronic system for VAT reimbursement.

The three main points of view, corresponding to the three parties interested in the neutrality of internet – content suppliers, users and internet services providers – were summed up by Marinescu. “Content suppliers fully support internet neutrality and depend on the network to lead their activity and supply their services to consumers. Representatives of users are calling for the complete neutrality of networks and ask for that to be firmly guaranteed by law. Internet services suppliers are not against the principle of internet neutrality, but are confronted with a series of needs since pressure on their networks is mounting,” said Marinescu.

Otilia Haraga