Answering TRAI Questionnaire is a Shocking Experience

Telecom companies, as any profit making entities are interested in unfair advantages at the cost of customer interest. They will spend enough money and lobbying power to make sure the playing field is tilted to their side. An individual or even a group of individuals in this country can never be a match to money/lobbying powers of such companies with deep pockets.

The LOADED QUESTIONS in TRAI questionnaire is a shock, an ordinary citizen will think those questions are prepared by the telecom companies themselves. The questions have some serious pre-suppositions like there aren't any rules regarding internet usage.

And, there are FLAWED ASSUMPTIONS that telecom companies face revenue loss due to VOIP and internet based messaging services. By the looks of it, TRAI's public consultation is hogwash.

The use of technical terms like OTT (Over the Top) Services, OSP (Other Service Provider), et cetera are there to mislead common people, meant to extract favorable responses.

The first question reads:

Question 1: Is it too early to establish a regulatory framework for Internet/OTT services, since internet penetration is still evolving, access speeds are generally low and there is limited coverage of high-speed broadband in the country? Or, should some beginning be made now with a regulatory framework that could be adapted to changes in the future? Please comment with justifications.

This is a loaded question. YES and NO – both are wrong answers here. 'Is there a need to establish a regulatory framework for VOIP and SMS services' would have been a lot better. And the answer is NO. There shall not be any special regulation for such services – now or in future.

The rest of the question is silver tongue of telecom companies.

The Second Question Proves the Consultation is Tilted in Favor of Telecom Companies

Question 2: Should the Internet/OTT players offering communication services (voice, messaging and video call services through applications (resident either in the country or outside) be brought under the licensing regime? Please comment with justifications.

Answer. No. Companies and individuals using internet are already covered by the rules of the land and there isn't any new need to regulate or license internet based messaging or calling services.

Telecom Companies want an UNFAIR Share of the Pie - as seen in the third question.

Question 3: Is the growth of Internet/OTT impacting the traditional revenue stream of Telecom operators/Telecom operators? If so, is the increase in data revenues of the Telecom Operators sufficient to compensate for this impact? Please comment with reasons.

This two part question pleads a YES for the first and NO for the second part. The truth is, people use mobile services for data usage, which is additional revenue for telecom operators. They shall be taxed for this additional revenue. They lie they face revenue losses. If TRAI stands for the general public and the future of India, they will rule the data revenues of Telecom Operators are sufficient and they don't need to be compensated for (untrue) projections of revenue loss.

Here comes the real blow to Net Neutrality – read the fourth question.

Question 4: Should the Internet/OTT players pay for use of the Telecom Operators network over and above data charges paid by consumers? If yes, what pricing options can be adopted? Could such options include prices based on bandwidth consumption? Can prices be used as a means of product/service differentiation? Please comment with justifications.

Consumers have the choice of using whatever apps or websites they are pleased to use. If the Internet/OTT players start paying the Telecom Operators, it will be the end of internet as we know it. This is a total disaster.

The apps that pay the Telecom Companies will get unfair treatment in the form of faster access. The companies that don't pay the Telecom Companies will have limited access like slower access or no access at all. It essentially will kill the start-ups and companies on a limited budget before they are born. Meanwhile, companies with deep pockets will have all the broadband highway reserved for them. Don't kill netneutrality, please.

Today, small scale farmers like Manoj K can find customers for homegrown vegetables and rice through his tiny website at http://agri.manojkmohan.com/, where he uses tools like Google Docs. Anyone who wants to buy from him can access his website just like any other website – of Times of India, or eBay or Amazon.

If there comes a time Manoj has to pay the Telecom Companies, he is effectively taken out of the internet. The customers don't have access to the website and they can't buy the produce – simply because the Telecom Companies can throttle the website.

 Internet is meant to be a level playing field for all. Not only for the big companies that can spend truckloads of money and tons of lobbying power.

Question 5 has some pre-assumptions too.

Question 5: Do you agree that imbalances exist in the regulatory environment in the operation of Internet/OTT players? If so, what should be the framework to address these issues? How can the prevailing laws and regulations be applied to Internet/OTT players (who operate in the virtual world) and compliance enforced? What could be the impact on the economy? Please comment with justifications.

Answer to the first part: No. There aren't any imbalances existing in the regulatory environment.

There need not be any additional framework, and there aren't any issues at all. The existing rules like the Information Technology Act 2000 and the provisions of Indian Penal Code have all the rules and regulations applicable to Internet/OTT players. They do no operate in a virtual world. They operate from a physical location and make the services available in the internet.

The Telecom Operators need to provide only data access without benevolence to some and malevolence to others. Telecom Operators don't provide the services that are offered by internet platforms/OTT players. Their services are different. Telecom Operators are not held responsible for the action of OTT players as per existing rules.

Taking Everything to New Levels

Question 6: How should the security concerns be addressed with regard to OTT players providing communication services? What security conditions such as maintaining data records, logs etc. need to be mandated for such OTT players? And, how can compliance with these conditions be ensured if the applications of such OTT players reside outside the country? Please comment with justifications.

An ordinary citizen is not meant to answer such questions – at least that is what I thought till now. However, I believe there are provisions in the law that allows governments to block any website if there is a situation of national security or public order. Indian Government can, when needed, can access data from such platforms under existing rules of the land.

User Safety

Question 7: How should the OTT players offering app services ensure security, safety and privacy of the consumer? How should they ensure protection of consumer interest? Please comment with justifications.

Indian Penal Code already has procedure for trying Criminal acts – including the ones committed by persons with the help of such platforms. Regulating such platforms doesn't guarantee any additional protection to the consumer. It also leads to serious privacy breaches, which is also against consumer interests.

Question 8:

In what manner can the proposals for a regulatory framework for OTTs in India draw from those of ETNO, referred to in para 4.23 or the best practices summarised in para 4.29? And, what practices should be proscribed by regulatory fiat? Please comment with justifications.

NO ANSWER

Question 9: What are your views on net-neutrality in the Indian context? How should the various principles discussed in para 5.47 be dealt with? Please comment with justifications.

No discrimination of internet traffic. That is what a consumer wants. Don't allow telecom operators to dictate what content people access. Internet is a very democratic, level playing field. Don't tilt it towards the big and the powerful.

Small players also need access to the same resources. If the big companies are allowed to strike a deal with telecom operators, it will effectively push the smaller players out of the field.

If you compare the internet/broadband to a highway, the big league players will have the fast lanes and profitable spots reserved for them, while the small players are forced into the side lanes.

Another Loaded Question:

Question 10: What forms of discrimination or traffic management practices are reasonable and consistent with a pragmatic approach? What should or can be permitted? Please comment with justifications.

No form of discrimination or traffic management practice needed. Just scrap the idea. Ensure free and non-discriminatory access and traffic to every player in the field – big or small.


Question 11: Should the TSPs be mandated to publish various traffic management techniques used for different OTT applications? Is this a sufficient condition to ensure transparency and a fair regulatory regime?

Yes. And punish any Telecom Operator that uses such practices.

Question 12: How should a conducive and balanced environment be created such that TSPs are able to invest in network infrastructure and CAPs are able to innovate and grow? Who should bear the network upgradation costs? Please comment with justifications

There is no need to a conductive and balanced environment. Let the telecom companies invest in upgrading their networks and make available fast internet connections to one billion plus consumers in the country. Since they benefit from additional number of customers and additional revenues from existing customers, the cost of network upgrading should be borne by TSPs.


Question 13: Should TSPs be allowed to implement non-price based discrimination of services? If so, under what circumstances are such practices acceptable? What restrictions, if any, need to be placed so that such measures are not abused? What measures should be adopted to ensure transparency to consumers? Please comment with justifications.

No. No discrimination shall be allowed under whatever circumstances. Restrictions don't make internet better. TRAI must mandate TSPs to furnish any details of such restrictions or discrimination and publish it in TRAI website. And, punish any telecom company that engages in such discrimination.


Question 14: Is there a justification for allowing differential pricing for data access and OTT communication services? If so, what changes need to be brought about in the present tariff and regulatory framework for telecommunication services in the country? Please comment with justifications.

No.

Question 15: Should OTT communication service players be treated as Bulk User of Telecom Services (BuTS)? How should the framework be structured to prevent any discrimination and protect stakeholder interest? Please comment with justification.

No. There shall not be any framework in this regard.

Question 16: What framework should be adopted to encourage India-specific OTT apps? Please comment with justifications.

There shall not be any additional regulation – leave it a level playing ground for all.
Strong net-neutrality laws need to be enacted – so that small players are not pushed out of the scene.

Question 17: If the OTT communication service players are to be licensed, should they be categorised as ASP or CSP? If so, what should be the framework? Please comment with justifications.

No. The OTT communication service players need not be licensed. If they are not to be licensed, there is no question of categorizing them. There shall not be any framework. Too much regulation can only prevent innovations and denial of services to consumers.

Question 18: Is there a need to regulate subscription charges for OTT communication services? Please comment with justifications.

No. The market will decide a fair price. Throttling some companies and services can lead to predatory pricing by companies that can pay the telecom companies big money. In the India scenario, the subscription charges to such services remain very low. The charges remain low because of the competition fostered by a free market. Remaining so is good for the consumer.

Question 19: What steps should be taken by the Government for regulation of non-communication OTT players? Please comment with justifications.

None! Government need not regulate whether they are communication or non-communication OTT players.

Question 20: Are there any other issues that have a bearing on the subject discussed?

Yes! Enact net-neutrality laws in India and make sure every small and big player has a level playing field. Any efforts to tilt the playing field towards the big and the powerful shall be severely punished.

Stop the Telecom companies offering free or reduced rate access to specific websites or services – it is a serious violation of net neutrality.

Don't ever allow websites, internet platforms or OTT players to pay any subscription fee to Telecom companies – other than for data access charges. Any such payment shall be treated as bribe.

Lesson 4: Structuring an Article - The Inverted Pyramid

Using Newsman's Style to Open an Article

Learn how reporters around the world write their news items and you will instantly learn the techniques of putting ideas into words. How does a news writer start a news report?

He or she uses an 'Inverted Pyramid'. It means, the most important part goes first. Then comes the details.

If you have any doubt, check today's newspaper. The headline gives you a good idea what the news is about. Then read the first line of the news item and you get a fairly good idea about the event being reported. If you don't want to go to the second paragraph, no problem. That is what inverted pyramid is about:

Read my own article on inverted pyramid (I wrote in in 2007):

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_pyramid
Your exercise: Write down the first two sentences of any news item you see in today's newspaper.

In Lesson 1, you learned how to dig ideas for an article
In Lesson 2, you learned how to dig out even more ideas with keyword research
In Lesson 3, you learned to convert ideas into simple sentences

Lesson 3: Developing Your Ideas

I hope the first two lessons taught you how to harvest ideas.

After the first two lessons, you have at least 10 ideas (keywords or points) to start with. That is all you need to get started.

Before we learn how to structure an article, let's get started on converting your ideas into sentences.

The third exercise you have is simple:

1. Check your list of ideas
2. Develop those ideas into simple sentences (three to five sentences per idea)

That is it. We are not looking to write a full fledged article. We are just learning  to put your ideas into words. And, if you have written an essay at school, it is going to be an easy task for you.

Here are the points I chose. See how I convert those ideas into sentences.

Point 1: Use a Travel Check List

Sentences: Use a travel check list to keep track of everything you need to remember. You may forget to pack your regular dose of medicines, eye-cover, chargers, essential documents, and necessary supplies. You can also forget to check if your cellular phone works at the place you are travelling to. A thorough checklist will remind you of everything you need to remember.

Now you see what I've done. A single point (an idea) is converted into a paragraph of more than 50 words.

Point 2: Write Down Room Numbers

You may think you can remember your hotel room number. The point is, you can easily forget that number. You may think your hotel room number is 370, while it can be 307. And, you may confuse present hotel room number with one you have stayed at in the past. Avoid all those confusions. Just write the room number down on a scratchpad or a tiny notebook and keep it in your pocket – all the time.

See, that is another 70+ words for your article.

Point 3: Meet People

Wherever you go, there are chances you can meet people you know from various places – past work, work, and people you meet through social media sites like Facebook or Google+. Meeting people is an enriching experience, an added bonus every time you travel for business.

See what I have done. I have harvested the ideas from others' articles. Then, I developed those ideas in my own words.

I only need to develop two or three more ideas to develop enough content for a decent article.

Exercise (DO THIS!):

Write three to five sentences for every idea in your list. To get a list of ideas, you may need to use the exercise in lesson 2.

Lesson 2: Discovering More Ideas on Any Given Topic

In the first Lesson, you discovered the major points to use in an article that gives 'business travel tips'.

One question:

How did I decide the article was about 'business travel tips'?

Ans: The article provided tips for business travel and I decided the article gave business travel tips.

Now, I am going to expand the number of points (or ideas) to at least 20. I will show you how.

First, I go to Google.com and enter the search term 'business travel tips'. That is it. Google returns 323,000,000 results in half a second.

Wow, that is overwhelming, I can't possibly check all those results in a year or two. And, why should I? I have better things to do.

I will just use the first five or ten results. Then I will write down additional points (ideas) from those ten pages. Let's see how it will go.

The first result is from Business Insider (result) and I will see what tips I can harvest from that page.

Tip # 1 : pack light (already in the first list of four items)
Tip # 2: Wake up at 5 am, go for an early morning run (not found anywhere else and goes into the list).
Tip # 3: Avoid jet lag by syncing to the destination's time zone well in advance (also gets into the list).
Tip # 4: Disconnect and Relax (also goes into the list)
Tip # 5: Schedule meetings continuously to get back home fast after zipping through all the meetings (also goes into the list)
Tip # 6: Research local culture and customs well in advance (a version of this is already there in the original list, but this one can replace the original point # 3 in the original list of Lesson 1)
Tip # 7: Is about not avoiding a trip (won't make it to our list).

Look at the 7 tips listed above. We have four new points to add, one modification for an already noted point. Thus, we have expanded our list of article ideas to 8 (from the original 4).

Isn't it cool? We now have 8 points to expand to an article titled 'business travel tips'.

The second result Google gave me is Business Insider, but that is not of much help and I skipped it. Then I try my third result, which is from Entrepreneur.com. And, in that article, I lift the following tips.

1. Use a travel check list
2. Pop some (pain-killer) pills
3. Keep an energy bar
4. Write down room numbers (of hotels you stay at)
5. Eat Well

There are addititional points to add. I strike off the second point in this list because I'm not comfortable advising people take pills or medication. However, I will use all of the rest, which means, my list of ideas now has 12 items in it.

Think about it, I already have 12 points or ideas to expand on. I have checked only three web pages. Is it cool or what?

Going at this pace, it is not very difficult to bulk the list up to 50 points or 100. We are yet to get any points on booking flight tickets, fighting hotel rooms, or  renting cars. You can't go business travel without those items.

Fourth Result is a Goldmine

The fourth result gave me is this: (4th result)

It has a 58 business travellers giving you tips. Some of them are repeating, but you can easily find more than a dozen new points to write about 'business travel tips'.

Once you have more than 20 points, you can choose five of six of them to write a decent article. Once you have more than 50 points, you can randomly pick five to seven points from the list and create a dozen unique articles.

Next lesson is about arranging the points (ideas) you collected into neat little groups, and using those groups to develop your ideas into an article. Till then, stay strong.

Content Writing Lesson 1: Extracting Key Ideas from An Article

Before you write your first article for the web, take a little while to identify what online articles are made of.
click here: http://goo.gl/IJP6YO

What are the important things you understand from the article?


As in case of school essays, each paragraph of an article is an expansion of one or two ideas. Before you start writing an article, I'll tell you how you can extract key ideas or important points from an already written article.

Activity:

1.   Go to EzineArticles.com
2.   Select an article on a topic you like
3.   List the important points mentioned in the article

This activity is very simple. Just write down the important ideas the article tries to convey.

Here I pick a random article as an example,

• The article is 431 words long.
• It talks about business travel.
• It mainly gives four tips to business travelers.
• And, the four key ideas are:

Research the place beforehand to maximize productivity
Pack light. Heavy luggage hinders your movement.
Be nice to locals (for specific reasons)
Meet people you know (directly or through social media)

Well, that was a very easy article to start with. The key points are numbered and listed. Now, if you are serious about getting started in content writing, do the same with at least 5 articles.

And, the second lesson will come in a couple of days.

How to Get Things Done - Tips for Lazy Men

 

Can you be lazy and still get things done? Easy. Read on to find out how a lazy man is getting things done without failure.

Here combines the Pomodoro Technique and the 80/20 Rule - coming to the rescue of lazy men everywhere.

Laziness doesn't exist. What exists is a lack of systematic planning of what needs to be done.

Pomodoro Technique helps you split your big tasks into several small tasks. World-renowned 80-20 Principle will help you achieve a lot without burnouts. Here we go.

Pomodoro Technique – You work on a specific task for 25 minutes straight, then take a 5-minute break. After the 5-minute break, you start once again.

Every fourth break is a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The frequent breaks keeps your mental energy high. Our mental energy and agility are high for short periods of time.

The timed 5-minute breaks will recharge our brains. After the break, your mental energy will be high. You are ready to take on the next task. Or the next part of the existing task.

Without these breaks, your mental agility will start draining after 45 minutes. At the end of the day, you will be more tired, but achieve less than those people who take these breaks.

Additionally, people who take those breaks will still be high on energy, even after completing all their tasks.

Keep Distractions Away

In your 25 minutes, you work continuously without any break. Without any distractions.

The main distractions are: Email, Social Media and Phone

Solution: Close the email program. Close the web browser. Keep the phone in silent mode.

Also avoid people distractions: There will also be people distracting you at the work place. Let your co-workers know you don't want to be disturbed. And hang a do-not-disturb sign at your workplace.

For Best Results:

Clearly write down what task you are taking in each 25-minute slot. Then work on that specific task only. Don't let other emergencies to come in.

If it is writing an article, keep the word processor opened. Close all other windows. And type as fast as you can for 25 minutes. Writing should be the only task you are doing.

Adding the 80/20 Principle

Your work needs only 80% perfection. If you aim for 100% perfection, it will drain your energy. However, if you aim for 80% perfection, you can start your assignments fast.

Step 1: Fast forward your assignment to 80% completion. Check your work. Are you satisfied? If yes, stop. If not, go to step 2.

Step 2: Work on the remaining 20% perfection. Add 80% of the 20% remaining. Are you satisfied? Yes, stop. No, repeat step 2 as many times as needed.

Why 80% Perfection and Not 100%

Because 80% is achievable and 100% is a mirage.

Getting things done is rewarding. Working endlessly on a project is mentally and emotionally draining.

When you make it 80% perfect, in most cases it is good enough. If that is not, you can always add another 80% until your work is good enough.

Photo credit: sima dimitric

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