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No end in sight to DoT, DoE feud over ISP policy

The outstanding issues between the two government departments are in fact intriguing, for the two have been holding series of meetings to narrow down the area of dispute.

Finally, last month the issue was referred to the Telecom Commission and here it was decided the DoE will make a second presentation on the subject through

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a white paper. A big discord had arisen on the question of the fate of the software technology parks under DoE through software export was so far being carried out.

The new scheme, the DoE fears, will curtail its role. But before announcing the new expansion plan sources say that the DoT has not settled its problems with DoE. These are contained in a white paper prepared by the DoE on the national Internet expansion policy.

The new guidelines issued have failed to respond to the objections raised by the DoE, say sources in the department.

The DoE has listed a number of problems with regard to the expansion plans. These are limitations in the availability and quality of terrestrial network (inter-city and intra-city), absence of national high-speed backbone, inadequate provisioning at dial up lines through PSTN (public switched telecom network) in many locations, a weak policy on interconnection of networks, restriction on VSAT network providers to connect Internet subscribers and absence of a neutral, professional and competent body to address Internet related technologies and operational issues based on community management concept.

The note says that while the DoT has proposed to take over the domestic Internet service providing component of VSNL and its rapid expansion in different places, the DoE has proposed that the concept of level playing field invoked by the DoT document in respect of VSNL should equally apply to DoT itself in respect of domestic ISP role.

The DoE document takes a view that DoT should utilise this opportunity to become a super ISP by operating a high speed backbone network to which other ISPs could get connected.

DoE document further point out that considerations of earth stations for international gateway role to carry ISP traffic as a carrier to provide leased line to ISPs. The DoE said, the DoT document only talks about some future action in the opening up of ISP for private sector while DoE document talks about the same with a sense of urgency and has spelt out a number of guidelines.

Another major area of dispute is about the domain registration. Here the DoT document seeks to transfer it from NCST (which has been historically handling the domain registration) to DoT. As opposed to this the DoE document suggest continuation of this responsibility by NCST for an interim period till a mechanism of community participation is evolved in this respect.

Earlier: Binary illogic

- Compiled from the Indian media

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