In Russia, the legislative consolidation of network neutrality will be discussed

Dmitry Medvedev reacted to harsh criticism from cellular operators, who are ready only for “relative network neutrality” - according to their thoughts, its observance is not possible in all cases.

The issue of legislative consolidation of network neutrality on behalf of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev will be considered at a special meeting of the government. Medvedev instructed the Deputy Prime Minister Maxim Akimov to prepare proposals for the meeting. Last week, he instructed the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Economy and the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) to study the issue and submit agreed proposals for the meeting and the report to the prime minister until October 5, Kommersant's interlocutor said in one of the departments.

The initiative of Dmitry Medvedev is mentioned in the resolution of the Chairman of the Government on a letter from the LTE Union, uniting the four cellular operators, who previously criticized the initiative. “The question is complex and important. We must get together and discuss, ”the document says.

The letter of the Union LTE was worked out by the Ministry of Communications and FAS. From their reviews it follows that the existing regulation is enough. They have not yet entered Akimov’s secretariat.

Network neutrality involves the prohibition of providers to discriminate against any Internet traffic and blocking sites on their own initiative. The proposal to legislatively consolidate this principle came from the Council on the development of the digital economy under the Federation Council. This became known in early August. In the same month, the LTE union sent its objections to the prime minister. The principle of network neutrality is contrary to the logic of the development of communication networks and new technologies, they noted. The operators emphasized that the fifth generation (5G), which is planned to be introduced in Russia, is based on the management of Internet traffic parameters, including the priority of critical communications traffic.

Now the operators are not responsible for non -compliance with this principle, since it is enshrined only in the basic document of the Federal Antimonopoly Service. This gives them “the opportunity for maneuver with tariffs” and agreements with online services to receive additional income, the source notes.

Operators are ready to offer alternative options. “We advocate the legislative consolidation of the principle of relative network neutrality. This meets the interests of consumers, since it will allow us to provide guaranteed quality services, including with increased loading on the network, emergency situations or the provision of services at the request of the consumer. What is especially important, for example, in the provision of telemedicine services, ”Megafon reports.

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In Russia they can legislatively fix network neutrality