Associations and companies from sectors such as health, education, entertainment, technology, communications and regional internet providers launched in Brasília, on Wednesday (6/12), the Open Internet Alliance (internetaberta.com.br ). The initiative emerged to alert society about the risks of the network fee proposal, an agenda defended by some large telecommunications operators under the justification that it would be necessary to pass on part of the costs of internet infrastructure to content providers and applications. The idea was the subject of recent support from the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) and will soon be the subject of a new public consultation by the authority.
According to the Alliance, the debate on the topic needs to involve several actors because the proposal represents important risks for the digital ecosystem. Among them is the fact that providers of content, applications and services that generate high data traffic on the internet could be forced to pay an additional fee to large telecom operators – something that could directly or indirectly impact everything from cloud computing to streaming, including distance education, digital health and telemedicine, artificial intelligence, among others.
In such a scenario, the entire digital economy – including the consuming public – would suffer the effect of an internet divided into classes, potentially more expensive and of lower quality. This is because the resources that could be applied to innovation for Brazilians would have to be reallocated to pay a fee.
“The Alliance for the Open Internet was born with the mission of creating a reasoned, collaborative debate connected to the Brazilian reality, for a free and toll-free internet for Brazilians”, says the entity's executive director, Alessandro Molon, who was rapporteur for the Marco Civil da Internet, considered an advance in guaranteeing an internet without distinctions or unequal treatments.
The network fee on the global stage
The proposal to create a cost transfer mechanism is criticized by civil society both in Brazil and abroad. In Europe, for example, the proposal is viewed with reservations by the entity that represents telecommunications regulatory bodies (BEREC), which highlights, among other arguments, potential anti-competitive effects for small providers, harm to consumers and to innovation on the internet. The European Consumers Association (BEUC) also contests the proposal by pointing out potential disadvantages to the internet ecosystem, such as the negative impact on competition, product diversity and prices, in addition to possible repercussions on network neutrality, threatening open access to Internet for consumers.
About the Open Internet Alliance
The Open Internet Alliance is a private sector movement formed by associations and companies of different sizes and sectors that defends the right to a free and neutral internet in Brazil. Among its founding members are associations in different areas, including health, education, entertainment, technology, communication and regional internet providers. Meet the current members:
1. Abert – Brazilian Association of Radio and Television Broadcasters
2. Abes – Brazilian Association of Software Companies
3. Abranet – Brazilian Internet Association
4. Abria – Brazilian Association of Artificial Intelligence
5. Abrint – Brazilian Association of Internet and Telecommunications Providers
6. Alai – Latin American Internet Association
7. Amazon
8. Google
9. Hotmart
10. IAB Brasil – Internet Advertising Bureau – Brazil
11. Init – Association of Payment Transaction Initiators
12. Kwai
13. Mercado Livre
14. Goal
15. MID – Digital Innovation Movement
16. MPA – Brazil – Motion Pictures Association – Brazil
17. Netflix
18. Saúde Digital Brasil – Brazilian Association of Telemedicine and Digital Health Companies
