KACHARAGADLA

New Delhi:  Positioning itself as a "big believer in net neutrality", Microsoft's video calling service Skype on Thursday said it continues to push for affordable Internet access to consumers. "We are big believers in net neutrality. That's been our stated point of view globally and we believe that in the end net neutrality serves the interest of consumers and we will continue to push for that position," Skype Corporate Vice-President Gurdeep Singh Pall told PTI. "It's about every citizen having affordable access. Any climate which allows that to be created we are always pushing for", he added. Earlier this year, a proposal to regulate calls on Internet-based apps like Skype, Whatsapp and Viber had stirred a national debate on the issue of net neutrality. The principle of net neutrality states that no priority should be accorded to an entity in Internet traffic flow on account of payments to service providers like telecom compan

The European parliament will take a key vote on Tuesday on rules affecting how internet traffic is managed. MEPs are considering a new set of rules for telecoms companies inside the EU. The plan could have major implications for net neutrality, where traffic is not slowed down or priced differently because of its content or origin. Some people fear the plan may lead to such restrictions but others argue that first it would have to be turned into specific regulations. Some tech companies, campaign groups and the inventor of the web Sir Tim Berners-Lee have all called for the adoption of amendments to the rules, which they believe would better safeguard the principles of net neutrality. However, this would mean rejecting the plan in a form to which EU governments have already agreed. Another part of the legislation, which would abolish mobile roaming charges within the EU, is popular with MEPs, so enthusiasm for rejecting it in its current form and further delaying this mov