[kictanet] Netherlands first European nation to adopt net neutrality

[Alice Munyua]

    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/09/netherlands_1st_european_country_to_adopt_net_neutrality



    Netherlands first European nation to adopt net neutrality: Telcos
    wail as revenues snatched from paws

The Dutch Parliament yesterday agreed to make the Netherlands the first 
nation in Europe to officially put net neutrality principles into law. 
The law will force ISPs and telecom operators to ensure access to all 
types of content, services or applications available on the network.

The new telecom law has won a near unanimous vote, despite fierce 
opposition from telecom operators, who had been planning to charge for 
over-the-top services, such as Skype or WhatsApp Messenger, which bypass 
traditional cellular communications. Vodafone Netherlands is currently 
still blocking the use of Skype on its 3G mobile network.

Facing sharp criticism, the largest Dutch political party -- the liberal 
VVD -- withdrew an amendment which would still allow carriers and ISPs 
to charge extra for services. The proposal came from Afke Schaart, who 
until last year was Director of Public Affairs for KPN, the biggest 
telecom operator in the Netherlands.

In recent months, Dutch telecom operators have complained that the 
volume of text messaging is slowing sharply because of cross-platform 
mobile messaging apps which allow users to exchange messages without 
having to pay for SMSes.

KPN recently reported that its youth-oriented brand, Hi, saw an 8 per 
cent decline in text messages per customer in the first three months of 
this year. The uptake of the WhatsApp messaging app grew from 0 per cent 
of Hi's Android phone users in August 2010 to 85 per cent in April 2011. 
KPN proposed new pricing models, but said it would not block VoiP services.

Vodafone in particular lobbied the country's minister of economic 
affairs, Maxime Verhagen, for a more lenient law. The new law would 
still allow ISPs to filter porn or other offensive content, but only if 
customers ask for it.

The final vote on the new telecommunications act in the Dutch House of 
Representatives will take place next Tuesday, but is considered a formality.

Last year, Chile was first country in the world to approve, by 100 votes 
in favour and one abstention, a law guaranteeing net neutrality. ®




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