The Centre for Internet and Society
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CIS Comments on TRAI Consultation Paper on Promoting Local Telecom Equipment Manufacturing
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/cis-comments-on-promoting-local-telecom-equipment-manufacturing
<b>The Centre for Internet & Society (CIS) sent comments to the TRAI Consultation Paper on promoting telecom equipment manufacturing. CIS submission drew primarily from the research done in the Pervasive Technologies project.</b>
<p><b><a class="external-link" href="http://trai.gov.in/sites/default/files/CP_on_Manufacturing_18_09_17.pdf">Read TRAI's Consultation Paper on Promoting Local Telecom Equipment Manufacturing </a></b></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><b><span>Preliminary</span></b></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><b><span> </span></b></p>
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<li style="text-align: justify; "><span>This submission presents comments by the Centre for Internet and Society, India ("<b>CIS</b>") on the <i>Consultation Paper on Promoting Local Telecom Equipment Manufacturing </i>dated 18.09. 2017, released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), under Department of Telecom, Ministry of Communications and Information Technologies (“<b>the TRAI Consultation Paper</b>”).</span><span> </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><span>We commend TRAI for its efforts at seeking inputs from various stakeholders on this important and timely issue and are thankful for the opportunity to put forth our views.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><span>We have addressed questions 3 and 5 of the TRAI Consultation Paper. Question numbers referred to in our submission correspond to those in the TRAI Consultation Paper.</span><span> </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><span>Further, the Department of Industrial Planning and Promotion (DIPP) invited comments on SEPs and their availability on FRAND terms on 01. 03. 2016.<a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1"><span>[1]</span></a> CIS submitted a detailed response to the consultation, and our present submission will draw significantly from our earlier response<a href="#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2"><span>[2]</span></a>, as well as new empirical research concluded in the since the time of the consultation.</span></li>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><span> </span></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><b><span>About CIS<br /></span></b></p>
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<li style="text-align: justify; "><span>CIS<a href="#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3"><span>[3]</span></a> is a non-profit organisation that undertakes interdisciplinary research on internet and digital technologies from policy and academic perspectives. Our areas of focus include IP rights, openness, internet governance, telecommunication reform, free speech, intermediary liability, digital privacy, cyber-security, and accessibility for persons with diverse abilities.</span><span> </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><span>We strive to maximise public benefit, useful innovation, vibrant competition and consumer welfare. This submission is consistent with our commitment to the domestic goals (as enumerated in Make in India and Digital India), and the protection of India's national interest at the international level. </span></li>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><span> </span></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><b><span>Submission on the Issues for Resolution<br /></span></b></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><b><i><span>“Q.3 Are the existing patent laws in India sufficient to address the issues of local manufacturers? If No, then suggest the measures to be adopted and amendments that need to be incorporated for supporting the local telecom manufacturing industry.</span></i></b><span>”</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>We submit that amendments to the Patents Act, 1970 may not be preferred, presently. It may be noted that there have been no judgments concluded by Indian courts on disputes relating to licensing of SEPs, yet. Justice Bakhru’s landmark order in <i>Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (Publ) </i>v. <i>Competition Commission of India (2016) </i>provided valuable clarity on the issue of conflict between remedies under Patents Act, 1970 and Competition Act, 1970. As various other matters are yet to be conclusively decided, and given the complex legal questions involved around the interpretation of Patents Act, 1970 and Competition Act, 2002, and constitutional issues around the jurisdiction of regulators and the power of judicial review of the courts, we believe that it would be prudent to examine the ruling of the courts on these issues in some detail, before considering amendments.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>However, to support the local telecom manufacturing industry the Government of India may adopt and implement the following measures: </span></p>
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<li style="text-align: justify; "><b><span> <span>Develop Model Guidelines to improve the working of Indian Standard Setting Organisations (SSOs</span>): </span></b><span>Given the increasing complexity and time-consuming nature of SEP litigation in India, there is a tangible threat of the abuse of the FRAND process, it might be useful for the government to make suggestions on the working of Indian SSOs. The functioning of Indian SSOs has not been satisfactory and it is suggested that the government develop Model Guidelines that may be adopted by Indian SSOs, taking into account India specific requirements. The India specific requirements include a large and exponentially growing mobile device market which has made it possible for manufacturers, patent owners and implementers alike to achieve financial gains even with a low margin. We believe that this measure will also enable the fulfillment of the objectives of the Make in India and Digital India initiatives.</span><span><br /><br />We recommend that various stakeholders, including IP holders, potential licensees and users of IP, civil society organizations, academics, and, government bodies, including the Indian Patent Office, the Department of Telecommunications, the DIPP, TRAI, and, the CCI be consulted in the creation of these Model Guidelines.</span><span><br /><br />In our opinion, the Model Guidelines may cover (a) the composition of the SSO; (b) the process of admitting members; (c) the process of the determination of a standard or technical specification; (d) the process of declassification of a standard or technical specification; (e) the IPR Policy; (f) resolution of disputes; (g) applicable law.<br /><br /></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><b><span><span>Initiate the formation of a patent pool of critical mobile technologies and cap royalty payments</span></span></b><span><span>:</span></span><span> In light of the observed inadequacies in the IPR policies of various SSOs in India, as well the spate of ongoing patent infringement lawsuits around mobile technologies, we recommend that the government intervene in the setting of royalties and FRAND terms by setting up a patent pool of critical mobile technologies and apply a compulsory license with a five per cent royalty. Further, patent pools should be required to offer FRAND licenses on the same terms to both members and nonmembers of the pool.</span><span> </span><span><br /><br />Our motivations for this proposal are manifold. In our opinion, it is nearly impossible for potential licensees to avoid inadvertent patent infringement. As a part of our research on technical standards applicable to mobile phones sold in India, we have found nearly 322 standards so far.<a href="#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4"><span>[4]</span></a> It is submitted that carrying out patent searches for all the standards would be extremely expensive for potential licensees. Further, even if such searches were to be carried out, different patent owners, SSOs and potential licensees disagree on valuation, essentiality, enforceability, validity, and coverage of patents. In addition, some patent owners are non-practising entities and may not be members of SSOs. The patents held by them are not likely to be disclosed. More importantly, homegrown manufacturers that have no patents to leverage and may be new entrants in the market would be especially disadvantaged by such a scenario. Budget phone manufacturers, standing to incur losses either as a result of heavy licensing fees, or, potential litigation, may close down. Alternatively, they may pass on their losses to consumers, driving the now affordable phones out of their financial reach. With the objectives of Make in India and Digital India in sight, it is essential that Indian consumers continue to have access to devices within their purchasing power.</span><span> </span><span><br /><br />Further, how did we arrive at a cap of 5 percent? The rationale for this figure is the royalty cap imposed by India in the early 1990s. As part of regulating foreign technology agreements, the (former) Department of Industrial Development (later merged with DIPP) capped royalty rates in the early 1990s. Payment of royalties was capped at either a lump sum payment of $2 million, or, 5 percent on the royalty rates charged for domestic sale, and, 8 percent for export of goods pertaining to “high priority industries”.<a href="#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5"><span>[5]</span></a> Royalties higher than 5 percent or 8 percent, as the case may be, required securing approval from the government. While the early 1990s (specifically, 1991) was too early for the mobile device manufacturing industry to be listed among high priority industries, the public announcement by the government covered computer software, consumer electronics, and electrical and electronic appliances for home use. The cap on royalty rates was lifted by the DIPP in 2009.<a href="#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6"><span>[6]</span></a> It is submitted in the case of mobile device technology, we are witnessing a situation similar to that of the 1990s. In this sphere, most of the patent holders are multinational corporations which results in large royalty amounts leaving India. At the same time, litigation over patent infringement in India has limited the manufacture and sale of mobile devices of homegrown brands. While SEP litigation in India is indeed comparable to international SEP litigation on broader issues raised, specifically competition law concerns, but differs crucially where the parties are concerned. International SEP litigation is largely between multinational corporations with substantial patent portfolios, capable of engaging in long drawn out litigations, or engaging in other strategies including setting off against each other’s patent portfolios. Dynamics in the Indian market differ – with a larger SEP holder litigating against smaller manufacturers, many of whom are indigenous, homegrown.</span><span><br /><br />In June, 2013, we had recommended to the erstwhile Hon’ble Minister for Human Resource Development<a href="#_ftn7" name="_ftnref7"><span>[7]</span></a> that a patent pool of essential technologies be established, with the compulsory licensing mechanism. Subsequently, in February, 2015, we reiterated this request to the Hon’ble Prime Minister.<a href="#_ftn8" name="_ftnref8"><span>[8]</span></a> We propose that the Government of India initiate the formation of a patent pool of critical mobile technologies and mandate a five percent compulsory license.<a href="#_ftn9" name="_ftnref9"><span>[9]</span></a> As we have stated in our request to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, we believe that such a pool would “<i>possibly avert patent disputes by ensuring that the owners' rights are not infringed on, that budget manufacturers are not put out of business owing to patent feuds, and that consumers continue to get access to inexpensive mobile devices. Several countries including the United States issue compulsory licenses on patents in the pharmaceutical, medical, defence, software, and engineering domains for reasons of public policy, or to thwart or correct anticompetitive practices.</i>”<a href="#_ftn10" name="_ftnref10"><span>[10]</span></a> We believe that such a measure will not be in breach of our international obligations under the TRIPS Agreement.<br /><br /></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><b><span><span>Increase transparency in the patent system by making patentees comply with the law</span></span></b><span>: </span><span>The Patents Act, 1970 requires patentees and licensees to submit a statement on commercial working of the invention to the Controller every year.<a href="#_ftn11" name="_ftnref11"><span>[11]</span></a> Form 27 under section 146(2) of the Act lists the details necessary to be disclosed for compliance of the requirement of “working”. A jurisprudential analysis reveals the rationale and objective behind this mandatory requirement. Undeniably, the scheme of the Indian patent regime makes it amply clear that “working” is a very important requirement, and the public as well as competitors have a right to access this information in a timely manner, without undue hurdles. Indeed, as the decision<a href="#_ftn12" name="_ftnref12"><span>[12]</span></a> in <i>Natco Pharma </i>v. <i>Bayer Corporation<a href="#_ftn13" name="_ftnref13"><b><span>[13]</span></b></a></i> reveals, the disclosures in Form 27 were crucial to determining the imposition of a compulsory license on the patentee. <b>Thus, broadly, Form 27 disclosures can critically enable willing licensees to access patent “working” information in a timely manner</b>.</span><span> </span><span><br /><br />However, there has been little compliance of this requirement by the patentees, despite the Indian Patent Office (<b>IPO</b>) reiterating the importance of compliance through the issuance of multiple public notices<a href="#_ftn14" name="_ftnref14"><span>[14]</span></a> (suo motu and in response to a public interest litigation filed in 2011<a href="#_ftn15" name="_ftnref15"><span>[15]</span></a>), and, reminding the patentees that noncompliance is punishable with a heavy fine.<a href="#_ftn16" name="_ftnref16"><span>[16]</span></a> Findings of research submitted by one of the parties<a href="#_ftn17" name="_ftnref17"><span>[17]</span></a> in the writ of the 2011 public interest <i>litigation Shamnad Basheer v. Union of India</i> <i>and others</i><a href="#_ftn18" name="_ftnref18"><span>[18]</span></a> reveal as follows. First, a large number of Form 27s are unavailable for download from the website of the IPO. This possibly indicates that the forms have either not been filed by the patentees with the IPO, or have not been uploaded (yet) by the IPO. Second, a large number of filings in the telecom sector remain incomplete.</span><span><br /><br />In 2015, CIS queried the IPO website for Form 27s of mobile device patents to arrive at a similar conclusion. We obtained 4,916 valid Form 27s, corresponding to 3,126 mobile device patents from public online records. These represented only 20.1% of all Forms 27 that should have been filed and corresponded to only 72.5% of all mobile device patents for which Forms 27 should have been filed. Forms 27 were missing for almost all patentees, and even among Forms 27 that were obtained, almost none contained useful information regarding the working of the subject patents or fully complying with the informational requirements of the Indian Patent Rules.<a href="#_ftn19" name="_ftnref19"><span>[19]</span></a></span><span><br /><br />Further, in our study, we observed that patentees adopted drastically different positions regarding the definition of patent working, some arguing that importation of products into India or licensing of Indian suppliers constituted working, while others even went so far as to argue that the granting of a worldwide license to a non-Indian firm constituted working in India. Several significant patentees claimed that they or their patent portfolios were simply too large to enable the provision of information relating to individual patents, and instead provided gross revenue and product sale figures, together with historical anecdotes about their long histories in India.</span><span><br /><br />The Indian government has made little or no effort to monitor or police compliance with Form 27 filings, undoubtedly leading to significant non-compliance. We also propose the alteration of the Form 27 template<a href="#_ftn20" name="_ftnref20"><span>[20]</span></a> to include more disclosures.<a href="#_ftn21" name="_ftnref21"><span>[21]</span></a> Presently, patentees are required to declare number of licensees and sub-licensees. We specifically propose that the format of Form 27 filings be modified to include patent pool licenses, with an explicit declaration of the names of the licensees and not just the number.<br /><br /></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><span><b>Require royalty rates to be decided on the basis of the Smallest Saleable Patent Practicing Component: </b>Most modern telecommunication and IT devices are complex with numerous technologies working in tandem. Different studies indicate that the number of patents in the US applicable to smartphones is between 200,000 and 250,000.<a href="#_ftn22" name="_ftnref22"><span>[22]</span></a> A comprehensive patent landscape of mobile device technologies conducted by CIS reveals that nearly 4,000 patents are applicable to mobile phones sold in India.<a href="#_ftn23" name="_ftnref23"><span>[23]</span></a> It is thus extremely difficult to quantify the exact extent of interaction and interdependence between technologies in any device, in such a way that the exact contribution of the patented technology to the entire device can be determined. Thus, we submit that royalty rates for SEPs should be based on the <i>smallest saleable patent practising component</i>, and not on the net price of the downstream product.</span><span><br /><br />The net cost of the device is almost always several times that of the chipset that implements the patented technology. Armstrong et al<a href="#_ftn24" name="_ftnref24"><span>[24]</span></a> have found that the cost of a 4G baseband chip costs up to $20 including royalties in a hypothetical $400 phone sold in the US. One of the litigating parties in the ongoing patent infringement lawsuits in India has stated that one of the reasons for preferring to leverage its patents as downstream as possible in the value chain is that it will earn the company more royalties.<a href="#_ftn25" name="_ftnref25"><span>[25]</span></a> In instances where patent exhaustion occurs much earlier in the value chain, such as in the case of the company’s cross-licenses with Qualcomm (another company that owns patents to chip technologies), the company does not try to obtain royalties from the selling prices of devices for the cross-licensed technologies. It is submitted that such market practices could be detrimental to the government’s objectives such as providing a mobile handset to every Indian by 2020 as a part of the Digital India programme.<a href="#_ftn26" name="_ftnref26"><span>[26]</span></a> It is also worth noting in this context that the mobile device is the first and only medium of access to the Internet and telecom services for a large number of Indians, and, consequently, the only gateway to access to knowledge, information and critical services, including banking.<a href="#_ftn27" name="_ftnref27"><span>[27]</span></a></span><b><i><span><br /><br /> “Q.5 Please suggest a dispute resolution mechanism for determination of royalty distribution on FRAND (Fair Reasonable and Non Discriminatory) basis.”</span></i></b><span><br /><br />The licensing of SEPs on FRAND terms requires the parties to negotiate “reasonable” royalty rates in good faith, and apply the terms uniformly to all willing licensees. It is our submission that if the parties cannot agree to FRAND terms, they may enter into <b>binding arbitration</b>. Further, if all efforts fail, there exist remedies under the Patents Act and the Competition Act, 2002 to address the issues.</span><span><br /><br />Section 115 of the Patents Act empowers the court to appoint an independent scientific adviser “<i>to assist the court or to inquire and report upon any such question of fact or of opinion (not involving a question of interpretation of law) as it may formulate for the purpose.</i>”<a href="#_ftn28" name="_ftnref28"><span>[28]</span></a> Such an independent adviser may inform the court on the technical nuances of the matter.</span><span><br /><br />Further<b>, </b>under the Patents Act, pending the decision of infringement proceedings the Court may provide interim relief, if the plaintiff proves <i>first, </i>a prima facie case of infringement; <i>second, </i>that the balance of convenience tilts in plaintiff’s favour; and, <i>third, </i>that if an injunction is not granted the plaintiff shall suffer irreparable damage. However, it is our suggestion that courts adopt a more cautious stance towards granting injunctions in the field of SEP litigation. <i>First, </i>in our opinion, injunctions may prove to be a deterrent to arrive at a FRAND commitment, in particular, egregiously harming the willing licensee. <i>Second, </i>especially in the Indian scenario, where litigating parties operate in vastly different price segments (thereby targeting consumers with different purchasing power), it is difficult to establish that “irreparable damage” has been caused to the patent owner on account of infringement. <i>Third, </i>we note the approach of the European Court of Justice, which prohibited the patent holder from enforcing an injunction provided a willing licensee makes an offer for the price it wishes to pay to use a patent under the condition that it deposited an amount in the bank as a security for the patent holder.<a href="#_ftn29" name="_ftnref29"><span>[29]</span></a> <i>Fourth, </i>we also note the approach of the Federal Trade Commission in the USA, which only authorizes patent holders to seek injunctive relief against potential licensees who have either stated that they will not license a patent on any terms, or refuse to enter into a license agreement on terms that have been set in the final ruling of a court or arbitrator.<a href="#_ftn30" name="_ftnref30"><span>[30]</span></a> Further, as Contreras (2015)<a href="#_ftn31" name="_ftnref31"><span>[31]</span></a> observes, that the precise boundaries of what constitutes as an unwilling licensee remains to be seen. We observe a similar ambiguity in Indian jurisprudence, and accordingly submit that courts should carefully examine the conduct of the licensee to injunct them from the alleged infringement.</span></li>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Concluding Remarks</b></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><span>We are thankful to TRAI for the opportunity to make these submissions. It would be our pleasure and privilege to discuss these comments with the TRAI; and, supplement these with further submissions if necessary. We also offer our assistance on other matters aimed at developing a suitable policy framework for SEPs and FRAND in India, and, working towards the sustained innovation, manufacture and availability of mobile technologies in India.</span></p>
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<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1"><span>[1]</span></a> Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion Discussion Paper on Standard Essential Patents and their Availability on Frand Terms, available at <a href="https://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/discussion-paper-on-standard-essential-patents-and-their-availability-on-frand-terms">https://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/discussion-paper-on-standard-essential-patents-and-their-availability-on-frand-terms</a> (last accessed November 13, 2017)</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2"><span>[2]</span></a> Anubha Sinha, Nehaa Chaudhari and Rohini Lakshane, “CIS’ Comments on Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion Discussion Paper on Standard Essential Patents and their Availability on Frand Terms” (April 23, 2016); available at <a href="https://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/comments-on-department-of-industrial-policy-and-promotion-discussion-paper-on-standard-essential-patents-and-their-availability-on-frand-terms">https://cis-india.org/a2k/blogs/comments-on-department-of-industrial-policy-and-promotion-discussion-paper-on-standard-essential-patents-and-their-availability-on-frand-terms</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3"><span>[3]</span></a> <a href="http://www.cis-india.org">www.cis-india.org</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4"><span>[4]</span></a> Rohini Lakshané, CIS, List of Technical Standards and IP Types (Working document), available at https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8SgjShAjhbtaml5eW50bS01d2s/view?usp=sharing (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5"><span>[5]</span></a> Kumkum Sen, News on Royalty Payments Brings Cheer in New Year, available at http://www.businessstandard.com/article/economypolicy/newsonroyaltypaymentbringscheerinnewyear11001 0400044_1.html (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6"><span>[6]</span></a> See Sanjana Govil, Putting a Lid on Royalty Outflows How the RBI Can Help Reduce India’s IP Costs <i>, </i>available at <a href="http://cisindia.org/a2k/blogs/lidonroyaltyoutflows">http://cisindia.org/a2k/blogs/lidonroyaltyoutflows</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017) for a discussion on the introduction of royalty caps in the early 1990s, and its success in reducing the flow of money out of India.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref7" name="_ftn7"><span>[7]</span></a> Nehaa Chaudhari, Letter for Establishment of Patent Pool for Low cost Access Devices through Compulsory</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Licenses, available at <a href="http://cisindia.org/a2k/blogs/letterforestablishmentofpatentpoolforlowcostaccessdevices">http://cisindia.org/a2k/blogs/letterforestablishmentofpatentpoolforlowcostaccessdevices </a>(last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref8" name="_ftn8"><span>[8]</span></a> See Rohini Lakshané, Open Letter to PM Modi, available at <a href="http://cisindia.org/a2k/blogs/openlettertoprimeministermodi">http://cisindia.org/a2k/blogs/openlettertoprimeministermodi</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017) for further details of CIS’ proposal.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref9" name="_ftn9"><span>[9]</span></a> Rohini Lakshané, FAQ: CIS’ proposal to form a patent pool of critical mobile technology, September 2015, available at <a href="http://cisindia.org/a2k/blogs/faqcisproposalforcompulsorylicensingofcriticalmobiletechnologies">http://cisindia.org/a2k/blogs/faqcisproposalforcompulsorylicensingofcriticalmobiletechnologies </a>(last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref10" name="_ftn10"><span>[10]</span></a> Id.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref11" name="_ftn11"><span>[11]</span></a> Section 146(2) of the Patents Act, 1970.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref12" name="_ftn12"><span>[12]</span></a> Sai Vinod, Patent Office Finally Takes Form 27s Seriously, available at <a href="http://spicyip.com/2013/02/patentofficefinallytakesform27s.html">http://spicyip.com/2013/02/patentofficefinallytakesform27s.html</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref13" name="_ftn13"><span>[13]</span></a> Order No. 45/2013 (Intellectual Property Appellate Board, Chennai), available at <a href="http://www.ipab.tn.nic.in/0452013.htm">http://www.ipab.tn.nic.in/0452013.htm</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref14" name="_ftn14"><span>[14]</span></a> Intellectual Property India, Public Notice, available at</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://www.ipindia.nic.in/iponew/publicNotice_Form27_12Feb2013.pdf">http://www.ipindia.nic.in/iponew/publicNotice_Form27_12Feb2013.pdf</a> ((last accessed 13 November, 2017) <i>and </i>Intellectual Property India, Public Notice, available at <a href="http://ipindia.nic.in/iponew/publicNotice_24December2009.pdf">http://ipindia.nic.in/iponew/publicNotice_24December2009.pdf</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref15" name="_ftn15"><span>[15]</span></a> Supra note 11.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref16" name="_ftn16"><span>[16]</span></a> Id.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref17" name="_ftn17"><span>[17]</span></a> See research findings available at <a href="http://spicyip.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/05/FORM27WP1Rcopy.pdf">http://spicyip.com/wpcontent/uploads/2015/05/FORM27WP1Rcopy.pdf</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref18" name="_ftn18"><span>[18]</span></a> In the High Court of Delhi, W.P.(C) 5590/2015. This litigation is currently ongoing. See, illustratively, Mathews P. George, <i>Patent Working in India: Delhi HC issues notice in Shamnad Basheer </i>v<i>. Union of India & Ors. – I </i>, available at <a href="http://spicyip.com/2015/09/patentworkinginindiadelhihcissuesnoticeinshamnadbasheervunionofindiaorsi.html">http://spicyip.com/2015/09/patentworkinginindiadelhihcissuesnoticeinshamnadbasheervunionofindiaorsi.html</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref19" name="_ftn19"><span>[19]</span></a> Contreras, Jorge L. and Lakshané, Rohini and Lewis, Paxton, Patent Working Requirements and Complex Products (October 1, 2017). NYU Journal of Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law, Forthcoming. Available at SSRN: <a href="https://ssrn.com/abstract=3004283">https://ssrn.com/abstract=3004283</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref20" name="_ftn20"><span>[20]</span></a> Form 27, The Patents Act, available at <a href="http://ipindia.nic.in/ipr/patent/manual/HTML%20AND%20PDF/Manual%20of%20Patent%20Office%20Practice%20and%20Procedure%20%20html/Forms/Form27.pdf">http://ipindia.nic.in/ipr/patent/manual/HTML%20AND%20PDF/Manual%20of%20Patent%20Office%20Practice%20and%20Procedure%20%20html/Forms/Form27.pdf</a> (last accessed November 13, 10`7).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref21" name="_ftn21"><span>[21]</span></a> However, we came across some complaints raised by patentees and industry observers regarding the structure of the Form 27 requirement - namely, patents covering complex, multi-component products that embody dozens of technical standards and thousands of patents are not necessarily amenable to the individual-level data requested by Form 27. See Contreras, Jorge L. and Lakshané, Rohini and Lewis, Paxton, Patent Working Requirements and Complex Products (October 1, 2017). NYU Journal of Intellectual Property & Entertainment Law, Forthcoming. Available at SSRN: <a href="https://ssrn.com/abstract=3004283">https://ssrn.com/abstract=3004283</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref22" name="_ftn22"><span>[22]</span></a> Mark Lemley and Carl Shapiro, Patent Holdup and Royalty Stacking, <i>85 Tex. L. Rev. at 2015 </i>; See also, for e.g.,</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">RPX Corporation, Amendment No. 3 to Form Sl,11 Apr. 2011, at 59, available at http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1509432/000119312511101007/ds1a.htm (last accessed 22 April, 2016), quoting <i>“Based on our research, we believe there are more than 250,000 active patents relevant to today’s</i></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><i>smartphones…” </i>.; See further Steve Lohr, Apple Samsung Case Shows Smartphone as Legal Magnet, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2012, available at <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/technology/applesamsungcaseshowssmartphoneaslawsuitmagnet">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/technology/applesamsungcaseshowssmartphoneaslawsuitmagnet</a>.html (last accessed November13, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref23" name="_ftn23"><span>[23]</span></a> Jorge L. Contreras and Rohini Lakshané, Patents and Mobile Devices in India: An Empirical Survey, available at <a href="http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2756486">http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2756486</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref24" name="_ftn24"><span>[24]</span></a> Ann Armstrong, Joseph J. Mueller and Timothy D. Syrett, The SmartphoneRoyalty Stack:Surveying Royalty Demands for the Components Within Modern Smartphones, available at <a href="https://www.wilmerhale.com/uploadedFiles/Shared_Content/Editorial/Publications/Documents/TheSmartphoneRoyaltyStackArmstrongMuellerSyrett.pdf">https://www.wilmerhale.com/uploadedFiles/Shared_Content/Editorial/Publications/Documents/TheSmartphoneRoyaltyStackArmstrongMuellerSyrett.pdf</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017)</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref25" name="_ftn25"><span>[25]</span></a> Florian Mueller, Ericsson Explained Publicly why it Collects Patent Royalties from Device (Not Chipset) Makers, available at <a href="http://www.fosspatents.com/2014/01/ericssonexplainedpubliclywhyits.Html">http://www.fosspatents.com/2014/01/ericssonexplainedpubliclywhyits.Html</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref26" name="_ftn26"><span>[26]</span></a> Romit Guha and Anandita Singh Masinkotia, PM Modi’s Digital India Project:Government to Ensure that Every Indian has a Smartphone by 2019, available at <a href="http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/20140825/news/53205445_1_digitalindiaindiatodayfinancialservices">http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/20140825/news/53205445_1_digitalindiaindiatodayfinancialservices</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref27" name="_ftn27"><span>[27]</span></a> Nehaa Chaudhari, Standard Essential Patents on Low Cost Mobile Phones in India: A Case to Strengthen Competition Regulation? available at <a href="http://www.manupatra.co.in/newsline/articles/Upload/08483340C1B94BA4B6A9D6B6494391B8.pdf">http://www.manupatra.co.in/newsline/articles/Upload/08483340C1B94BA4B6A9D6B6494391B8.pdf</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref28" name="_ftn28"><span>[28]</span></a> Section 115 of the Patents Act, 1970.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref29" name="_ftn29"><span>[29]</span></a> <i>Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd </i>v. <i>ZTE Corp. and ZTE Deutschland </i>, Judgment of the Court (Fifth Chamber) of 16 July 2015 in GmbH C170/13.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref30" name="_ftn30"><span>[30]</span></a> Third Party United States Fed. Trade Commission’s Statement on the Public Interest, <i>In re Certain Wireless Communication Devices, Portable Music and Data Processing Devices, Computers and Components Thereof</i>, U.S. Int’l Trade Comm’n, Inv. No. 337TA745 (Jun. 6, 2012).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><a href="#_ftnref31" name="_ftn31"><span>[31]</span></a> Jorge L. Contreras, A Brief History of FRAND: Analyzing Current Debates in Standard Setting and Antitrust Through a Historical Lens <i>, </i>80 Antitrust Law Journal 39 (2015), available at h ttp://ssrn.com/abstract=2374983 or <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2374983">http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2374983</a> (last accessed 13 November, 2017).</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/cis-comments-on-promoting-local-telecom-equipment-manufacturing'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/cis-comments-on-promoting-local-telecom-equipment-manufacturing</a>
</p>
No publishersinhaTelecomFeaturedHomepage2017-11-26T02:56:15ZBlog EntryPublic Debate on 'Differential Pricing': Series 1
http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/a-series-of-public-debates-on-differential-pricing-series-1
<b>The Centre for Internet and Society, in association with ICRIER and the Department of Civics and Politics, University of Mumbai, is pleased to announce “A Series of Public Debates on Differential Pricing” in the cities of Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi. The first public debate will be held at the Centre for Internet & Society office in Bangalore on February 1, 2016. </b>
<div class="kssattr-target-parent-fieldname-text-b0c8dac0221d45df8f2e6e8e3a8d7a4a kssattr-macro-rich-field-view kssattr-templateId-widgets/rich kssattr-atfieldname-text " id="parent-fieldname-text-b0c8dac0221d45df8f2e6e8e3a8d7a4a">
<p style="text-align: justify; ">In light of the recent consultation paper released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the objective of these debates will be to deconstruct the issue of differential pricing through a discussion on the variety of views this subject has attracted. Speakers will also discuss possible implications of differential pricing policy on questions of access, diversity, competition and entrepreneurship.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Each debate will comprise three rounds. In the first round, speakers will present the body of their arguments over 10 minutes each. The second round will be a rebuttal round, with each speaker being given 5 minutes. The third and final round will see the floor being opened to the audience who will engage the speakers with comments and questions.</p>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: justify; "><a href="resolveuid/a01978fec6244f86b178b26006f1b312" class="internal-link">Download the Invite</a></h2>
</div>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/a-series-of-public-debates-on-differential-pricing-series-1'>http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/events/a-series-of-public-debates-on-differential-pricing-series-1</a>
</p>
No publishervidushiFreedom of Speech and ExpressionTelecomEventInternet Governance2016-01-27T13:51:06ZEventA Megacorp’s Basic Instinct
http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/outlook-february-8-2016-arindam-mukherjee-a-megacorps-basic-instinct
<b>Bolstered by academia and civil society, TRAI stands its ground against FB’s Free Basics publicity blitz.</b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The article by Arindam Mukherjee was <a class="external-link" href="http://www.outlookindia.com/article/a-megacorps-basic-instinct/296510">published in Outlook</a> on February 8, 2016. Sunil Abraham was quoted.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Hours before the January 31 deadline for telecom regulator TRAI to give its opinion on Facebook’s controversial and expensive Free Basics pitch—which seeks to give India’s poor “free” access to certain partner websites—the consensus seems to be building up against the social media giant. “If there is cannibalising of the internet through services like Free Basics, the internet will be split; it will parcel out and slice the internet. Its future is at stake,” says a senior government official on condition of anonymity.<br /><br />In a climate where the tech-savvy Modi government is seen to be close to the online trinity of Facebook, Google and Twitter, TRAI’s defiant stance in favour of net neutrality stands out. There’s a lot at stake. India’s position becomes crucial as few countries in the world have clearly defined laws on net neutrality or have taken a stand on it. For Facebook, there’s a lot more at stake. India is its second-largest user base after the US (it is banned in China), so it is leaving no stone unturned. The massive Rs 300-crore electronic and print media campaign is an indication of that.<br /><br />TRAI sources say they are ready for any adverse onslaught and they are under no pressure from the PMO. The view gaining ground in government is that FB is trying to create a walled garden where it controls what people see and surf and what they can access online. While this will be offered to consumers for free—the technical term is differential pricing—the websites part of Free Basics will have to pay for being on the platform. Outlook’s queries to FB remained unanswered at the time of going to press.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">At an ‘open house’ meeting to discuss TRAI’s consultation paper on differential pricing last week, regulator Ram Sevak Sharma stood firm against the barrage of pro-Free Basics opinions that flowed from FB, telecom operators and some members of the public. TRAI’s message was clear: FB’s tactics of moulding public opinion by stealth will not be acceptable in India. In the past few weeks, there have been bitter exchanges between TRAI and FB over the latter’s responses to a consultation paper on differential pricing.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">TRAI’s defiant stand draws from an unprecedented show of strength by civil society against Free Basics and FB’s intentions. Says former Aadhar man Nandan Nilekani, “Free Basics is certainly against net neutrality. How can a solution be neutral, if it disproportionately benefits a particular website or business on the internet? Today, 400 million Indians are online. They came online because of the inherent value the internet offers. How can a walled garden of 100-odd websites provide the same value?”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">What does Free Basics mean for PM Modi’s Digital India campaign? Being a walled garden, thousands of start-ups without adequate budgets to pay for such dedicated service will be forced to stay out of it. Similar questions are being raised about government services that are increasingly coming online. The concern is that all government traffic will have to pass through FB servers. The senior government official quoted above agrees, “In such a scenario, the government will have to approach FB to make its websites accessible on the free service which is neither desirable nor safe.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The other fear is what happens to public data if it goes through a service like Free Basics. There is fear that a lot of government and public data will be put through Free Basics once government services start coming online. If Free Basics is for the poor who are also beneficiaries of government services, FB too can access this data. Says Prabir Purkayastha, chairman, Knowledge Commons, “FB says public service will be available through Free Basics but can public service be given through a private initiative? Public data is valuable and can’t be handed over to a private company.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Few again are convinced by FB’s claim that Free Basics aims to make the internet accessible to the poor, with the many services offered through it. “The claim that the poor will get access to the internet is false,” warns Sunil Abraham, executive director, Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore. “Free Basics gives access to less than 100 of the one billion plus websites on the world wide web. Those in the walled garden will be treated quite differently.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">What gives TRAI a shot in the arm is that, for the first time, academia has put its weight behind Free Basics opponents. In a signed statement, several IIT and IISc Bangalore professors have said that Free Basics won’t serve the purpose FB is proposing and is not good for the country. “The problem is the internet being provided (via Free Basics) is a shrunken and sanitised version of the real thing. Free Basics is not a good proposal for the long-term development of a healthy and democratic internet setup in India,” says Amitabha Bagchi, IIT Delhi professor and one of the signatories to the memo.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Of course, many of the experts <i>Outlook</i> spoke to say that the government, and not FB, should be responsible for providing free internet to the people. Says Parminder Jeet Singh, executive director, IT for Change, “The government is sitting on Rs 40,000 crore of USO funds. It can surely utilise that to provide a free basic data package to people in India. Basic government services and emergency services should essentially be free.” Nilekani is also in favour of the government providing free internet to people. “The internet is a powerful poverty alleviation tool.... Government can do a direct benefit transfer for data, a more market-neutral way of achieving the goal of getting everyone on the internet,” he told <i>Outlook</i>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Legally, though, there may be issues in stopping FB from introducing its Free Basics platform in India. Says Singh, “Technically, the Indian government may not be able to stop FB from introducing Free Basics in India as it is just a platform. What the government has to do is to stop telcos from collaborating with it for free internet because Indian telcos, not FB, mediate access to the internet.”</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The demand for the government and TRAI to come clean on net neutrality has reached fever pitch. Experts like Nilekani feel that net neutrality, which does not allow zero rating and differential pricing based on telcos looking at the contents of the subscriber’s data packets, should be enshrined in law through an act of Parliament, the way countries like the US have done. TRAI has also proposed two models where the internet is provided free initially and charged at a later stage and another where content providers and websites reimburse the cost of browsing directly to consumers. Both these proposals have not found favour with experts who say that these are unworkable and only the government should disburse free internet.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">In any case, all this is a matter of detail—important, no doubt. The key question is, what happens to Free Basics if TRAI rules in favour of net neutrality and goes against FB? “This is going to be a long-drawn-out battle as FB will certainly challenge this in court,” says the government official. After spending Rs 300 crore on publicity, there is no way it will roll over and die.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/outlook-february-8-2016-arindam-mukherjee-a-megacorps-basic-instinct'>http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/news/outlook-february-8-2016-arindam-mukherjee-a-megacorps-basic-instinct</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaSocial MediaTelecomFree BasicsTRAINet NeutralityFreedom of Speech and ExpressionInternet Governance2016-02-04T13:53:05ZNews ItemDelayed Cash Flows and NPAs
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-april-3-2019-shyam-ponappa-delayed-cash-flows-and-npas
<b>We need to rid ourselves of a tolerance of delayed payments to avoid their consequences.</b>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The article by Shyam Ponappa was published in <a class="external-link" href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/delayed-cash-flows-and-npas-119040301417_1.html">Business Standard</a> on April 3, 2019 and in <a class="external-link" href="https://organizing-india.blogspot.com/2019/04/delayed-cash-flows-and-npas.html">Organizing India Blogspot </a>on April 4, 2019.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Many of us in India become inured to a laxity in standards and to the implementation of laws. There may be good reasons for targeting one of these for a start, and that is delayed payments. These are broadly tolerated by citizens, farmers, corporates, small businesses, and government agencies. Perhaps this is because payment delays are merely one among several instances we encounter of mediocre standards, indifferent quality, or shoddy performance. Delayed payments are the inception of process flow problems that lead to non-performing assets (NPAs). Perhaps delays in cash flows are a fundamental flaw in our processes that we need to fix as a root cause that drives much else, to begin to address a gamut of inadequacies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">To see why, consider delays in government payments. Central and state government payments are often delayed, apparently even more than in the private sector. Even government payments related to high priority IT systems, for instance, are notoriously delayed. Major IT companies complain of losing money on large projects for this reason. Nasscom estimated a couple of years ago that government dues to the IT industry could be more than Rs 5,000 crore.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Some factors that render domestic projects attractive to the IT industry are the large domestic IT market, projects of significant size from state and central governments, and slowing exports over the last several years. The disincentives, however, are lower margins, long lead times for government contracts, payment delays, and a history of disputed payments and litigation. Also, IT majors complain that government processes often don’t accommodate changes in the terms of contracts when there are changes in the scope of projects. This is why IT companies are averse to domestic government projects.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Quite apart from these opportunity costs, delayed payments create serious cash flow problems for the economy, with outstandings running typically for many months, and sometimes for years. While the instances above are about the IT industry, there are similar problems in other sectors as well. In the construction industry, for example, estimates of private contractors’ dues held up by delays including disputes range from Rs 1 trillion to Rs 3 trillion.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">While some bank NPAs undoubtedly result from fraud and malfeasance (which are outside the scope of this article), disruptions in cash flows in commercially sound projects can result in the creation of NPAs. This aspect has to be addressed as a precursor to stressed assets in resolving NPAs, as is evident in considering the problems of power generating companies.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">A Ministry of Power portal (http://www.praapti.in/) shows that overdue payments from electricity distributors to power generating companies at the end of January 2019 amounted to Rs 28,504 crore. Meanwhile, in the Supreme Court, 34 power generating companies with NPAs of Rs 1.4 trillion were battling an RI Circular of February 12, 2018, that consigned their entire investment of double the NPA amount (Rs 3 trillion) to bankruptcy proceedings under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). The reason was that their dues had not been resolved within the RBI-mandated 180 days by August 2018. The RBI insisted on bankruptcy as a time-bound consequence, regardless of the cause of default. By contrast, the Ministry of Power and the supplicants objected to the RBI Circular, attributing loan stress in several cases to factors beyond the borrowers’ control. These factors included reasons such as payment delays by state distributors, problems in the supply of coal, or in some cases, because consortiums of lenders were close to restructuring loans, whereas declaring bankruptcy would not resolve the underlying causes. A number of bankers suggested that the 180-day rule for bankruptcy in the RBI Circular was impractical. Major banks consider restructuring as the appropriate solution when defaults are caused by factors outside the borrowers’ control, such as delayed payments from state electricity boards or by government agencies, state government overdues, or major adverse changes such as the unexpected imposition of duties by supplier countries on coal.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Supreme Court quashed the RBI Circular of February 2018 on April 2, 2019. This will likely pave the way for more constructive outcomes for many of these projects, provided the RBI and the banks follow through with feasible restructuring. The alternative of selling stalled projects that were unworkable because of reasons such as there being no fuel supply or power purchase agreement, or overdue payments by customers (state or central agencies) were outstanding, if indeed buyers could be found, would hardly solve these problems. The projects would remain stalled or unproductive until the underlying inadequacies were made good, whether by providing fuel, power purchase agreements, collecting overdue payments, or enabling realistic tariffs to yield viable margins. Until these deficiencies are made good, the problems will remain.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Popular opinion, however, seems to favour “selling off bankrupt projects” regardless of extenuating circumstances, even when owners have no control over them, although selling them will not rectify the conditions that created the default. This approach of attempting to sell off projects to get rid of problems without addressing the underlying issues for otherwise sound projects is best abandoned. To be flip, it’s like an “Off with his head!” approach.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: justify; ">What's needed</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Standards for on-time payments are the real requirement, with penalties, e.g., double the SBI rate, enforced strictly for non-performance. Central and state governments need to take the lead on this as an essential aspect of governance. These difficult steps will be a real bear, but are necessary if we are to eliminate NPAs. Is this a realistic expectation? As realistic as it is to expect to eliminate the resulting NPAs.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The RBI will need to provide regulatory oversight, instituting real-time monitoring and reporting systems, and taking prompt action as necessary. Properly designed and deployed, such systems would prevent one form of ever-greening of loans at inception. Separate systems for loan renewals could be designed and deployed to prevent other aspects of ever-greening. These coordinated steps could prevent good assets from turning into NPAs.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-april-3-2019-shyam-ponappa-delayed-cash-flows-and-npas'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/blog/business-standard-april-3-2019-shyam-ponappa-delayed-cash-flows-and-npas</a>
</p>
No publisherShyam PonappaTelecom2019-04-28T04:36:39ZBlog EntryInputs for NTP 2011
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/inputs-ntp-2011
<b>The Centre for Internet and Society wishes to commend the DoT on the draft of the New Telecom Policy and offers its suggestions to improve the draft with specific changes.</b>
<p>The new draft contains several noteworthy initiatives and goals such
as Delicensing additional frequency bands for public use, Network
sharing, spectrum sharing, pooling and trading , recognizing that
revenue generation is not the primary reason for licensing spectrum and
that auctions often result in inordinate delays, identifying the mobile
phone as a primary instrument for development and inclusion, Convergence
of broadcast, telecom and cable infrastructure, promotion of cloud
based technologies, Nationwide license, free roaming and one number,
promotion of fixed mobile convergence to free up spectrum, promoting
consumer interests by increasing choice and quality and addressing concerns of
privacy, data security, etc and placing emphasis on research and
development, awareness raising and capacity building.</p>
<p>We offer below suggestions to improve the draft with specific changes marked in bold print.</p>
<h2>Spectrum Management</h2>
<p>We endorse the approach to permit spectrum ‘pooling, sharing and
later, trading for optimal and efficient utilization of spectrum’ as
described in 4.1. In this regard, we would like to suggest that the
Government may consider mandatory spectrum sharing as is being done in
USA with respect to white spaces and digital dividends as a better
approach over licensing spectrum to a single operator and allowing
voluntary sharing since it could result in more dynamic and efficient
use of spectrum with access being authorized as per requirement from a central data base driven system.</p>
<h2>De-licensing additional spectrum</h2>
<p>We agree with the approach to prioritise identification of additional
frequency bands for license exempt use for the operation of low power
devices, as stated in section 4.6 of the National Telecom Policy 2011.
We also support the promotion of the use of technology such as Software
Defined Radios (SDRs) and Cognitive Radios (CRs) in white spaces, as
mention in section 4.9 of the NTP. These developments in the Indian
Telecom policy show promise for the deployment and spread of affordable technologies operating in de-licensed frequencies,
which will contribute to the bridging of the digital divide present in
India. We offer certain recommendations in this regard:</p>
<ol><li>WPC should have more unlicensed bands available for internet and
multimedia to fuelinnovation and efficient spectrum utilization.
Unlicensed bands need to be allocated inbigger chunks in various slots.</li><li>Frequencies
in the 5.15GHz-5.35GHz bands, as well as 5.725-5.825GHz bands are
delicensedfor indoor use only. These bands should be de-licensed for
outdoor use as well in order to facilitate the creation of wider
wireless communication networks and the use ofinnovative technologies.</li><li>Bands
for the use of DECT technologies have already been de-licensed in
Europe and theUnited states. The1800-1890MHz band, which is earmarked
for the operations of DECT based devices in India, should be de-licensed
for the use of low power cordless communication technologies in line
with international practices.</li><li>The 433-434 Mhz band should be unlicensed for data telemetry as it is done in many other countries.</li><li>Unutilized slots in between TV channels (white spaces) should be made available for unlicensed/Class license usage.</li></ol>
<h2>Licensing, Convergence and Value Added Services</h2>
<p>
With respect to allowing the sharing of network mentioned in 3.6, we
would like to propose a similar model as suggested for spectrum sharing,
which is more along the lines of Singapore or Australia’s NGN, with the
network(s) being run by public private partnership (PPP) consortiums,
but led by a private operator.</p>
<h2>Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities</h2>
<p>
Persons with disabilities should be mentioned specifically within the
policy and steps should be taken to enable access to telecommunications
facilities for them. These would include steps like formulating a Code
of good practice for manufacturers and service providers, identifying
accessibility standards in different areas, investing in R&D in
accessible technologies, setting up a nationwide emergency and relay
service, mandating broadcast accessibility to ensure that set-top boxes are accessible and that at least 50 per cent of all TV
programmes are captioned, carrying out regular surveys to gather
statistics on use of telecommunications services by persons with
disabilities, etc.</p>
<h2>Specific recommendations</h2>
<h3>Mission</h3>
<em>(To be modified to read as)</em>
<p>1. To develop a robust, secure state-of-the-art telecommunication
network providing seamless coverage with special focus on rural and
remote areas and bridging digital divide amongst disadvantaged persons, including persons with disabilities.</p>
<h3> Objectives</h3>
<em>(To be modified to read as)</em>
<p>28. Protect consumer interest by promoting informed consent,
transparency, accountability and accessibility in quality of service,
tariff, usage etc.
36. Put in place an accessible web based, real time e-governance
solution to support online submission of applications for all services
of DoT and issuance of licences and clearances from DoT.</p>
<h3>Universal Service Obligation Fund</h3>
<p>
To include ‘Persons with Disabilities, elderly and illiterate persons’
specifically as a category of beneficiaries within the charter of the
fund. Telecom infrastructure/ row issues, green telecom, clear skyline,<br /><em>(Point to be modified to read as)</em><br />5.13. To prescribe sectoral Standard Operating Procedures for
effective and early mitigation during disasters and emergencies. To
mandate Telecom Service Providers to provide alternative accessible
reliable means of communication at the time of disaster by creating
appropriate regulatory framework.
5.15. To facilitate an institutional framework to establish nationwide
Unified Emergency Response Mechanism by providing nationwide single
access number for emergency services and to ensure that the same are also accessible to persons with disabilities.</p>
<h2>Broadband and universal service</h2>
<p>
Given that the uptake of broadband has been rather slow in comparison
with mobile phones, a useful step to scaling up broadband penetration
and providing ubiquitous broadband services could be to identify
broadband as an ‘essential service’ under the Essential Services
Maintenance Act, 1981. This could be recognized as an objective in the
policy and will help to ensure provision of affordable and reliable
provision of broadband.</p>
<h2>Specific recommendation</h2>
<em>(Point to be modified to read as)</em>
<p> 3. Recognize broadband as an ‘essential service’ under the Essential
Services Maintenance Act and provide affordable and reliable broadband
on demand by the year
2015 and to achieve 175 million broadband connections by the year 2017
and 600 million by the year 2020 at minimum 2 Mbps download speed as
well as making available higher speeds of at least 100 Mbps on demand.</p>
<h2>Multi stakeholder approach</h2>
<p>
All activities such as setting up a council under 2.3, advisory groups
in 2.4, 2.10, etc should necessarily include participation from civil
society to ensure a balanced representation of the public interest
perspective.</p>
<h2>Specific recommendations</h2>
<em>(Points to be modified to read as)</em>
<p>2.3. To set up a council consisting of experts from Telecom Service
Providers, Telecom Manufacturing Industry, Government, civil society,</p>
<h3> Academia and R&D institutions.</h3>
<p>2.4. To promote synergy of academia, R&D centres, manufacturers, service providers, civil society, consumer groups and
other stakeholders for achieving collaboration and reorientation of
their efforts for creation of IPRs, development and deployment of new
products and services suited to Indian environment.</p>
<h2>Implementation and monitoring</h2>
<p>
While the policy identifies several laudable objectives and initiatives,
there is little indication as to time lines and mechanisms for
enforcement with measurable indicators. It would be useful to clearly
specify these to ensure smooth and effective implementation of the
policy.</p>
<h2>Protection of consumer interests</h2>
<p>
Any initiatives taken in this regard, such as formulation of a Code etc,
must necessarily involve consumers. The policy also needs to recognize
that special effort is required to ensure that information is made
available to consumers and more steps are taken towards consumer
outreach. This also includes making web sites more user friendly and
accessible to consumers. At present even the web sites of the DoT, USOF,
and TRAI etc are extremely inaccessible.</p>
<h2>Regulation</h2>
<p>
While it is important to create a conducive regulatory framework for
India’s development agenda, we would nevertheless like to caution
against over regulation, especially in cases where market forces
themselves take care of the situation. It is best to have a light handed
approach based on need. It is also suggested that a review of the TRAI
act as proposed under 12.1 could result in vesting the sector regulator
with greater autonomy and independence.</p>
<h2>Specific recommendation</h2>
<em>(Point to be modified to read as)<br />
</em>
12.1. To review the TRAI Act with a view to addressing regulatory
inadequacies/impediments in effective discharge of its functions <strong>and strengthening it by increasing its autonomy.
</strong>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/inputs-ntp-2011'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/inputs-ntp-2011</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaTelecomAccessibility2012-01-02T05:07:57ZBlog EntryThe Coming Telecom Monopoly
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/coming-telecom-monopoly
<b>The 2G judgment and Trai spectrum pricing recommendations have led to a policy that makes sense for only one survivor.</b>
<p><a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.in/2012/05/coming-telecom-monopoly.html">Shyam Ponappa's column was published in the Business Standard on May 3, 2012</a></p>
<p>The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, or Trai, has delivered a stunning blow to the telecom sector in the form of its spectrum pricing and refarming recommendations. The sector was already reeling from scandals and misgovernance, and staggered by a confused Supreme Court judgment based on inappropriate assumptions (for details, see “<a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.in/2012/03/2g-supreme-court-judgment-1.html">Time for a review</a>”, March 1, 2012, and “<a class="external-link" href="http://organizing-india.blogspot.com/2012/03/2g-supreme-court-judgment-2.html">Open access is the future</a>,” March 4, 2012). This will cripple an erstwhile sunrise sector that drove (and still can) India’s prosperity through productivity, enabling many factors to converge positively — such as its economic momentum, enterprise, resilience and, most important, a demographic bulge that could become a blessing or a curse. This convergence was (and is) possible because of the enabling ability of telecom and broadband to provide access to education, vocational training and continuing education; health care and other public services; and commerce, including the delivery of individual output, within easy reach. All this is stalled, as we deliberately disembowel ourselves, as it were. </p>
<p>If Trai’s recommendations are implemented, they will ensure that a lone survivor dominates the sector, annihilating all significant competitors – Bharti, Vodafone, Idea, Tata, and newcomers like Telenor and Sistema – through their having to pay exorbitant fees just to keep their current business going, even without expansion. That is, provided the lawsuits that are likely to follow don’t obliterate everything for the next 10 years.</p>
<p>Are these setbacks happenstance, heaven-sent, or acts of man? Analysing the components shows that much is attributable to the machinations of men, although rendered by different individuals or groups under varying compulsions. The afflictions that began with cronyism and misgovernance have been aggravated by a judgment based on misapprehensions regarding: (a) spectrum technology; (b) the economics of auctions and; (c) competition in network economies.</p>
<p>In trying to get at the corrupt nexus of corporations, politicians, bureaucrats, and just plain crooked people, indiscriminate zealotry is destroying legitimate enterprise. The judgment lumps the guilty with the circumstantially proximate. Coupled with defining auctions as best for the public interest, this set the stage for what has followed. The furore over corruption and the Anna Hazare movement ensure that any objective recommendation would come under fire, with a mobocracy baying for revenge.</p>
<p>Is being deprived of ubiquitous, reasonably-priced broadband so devastating? Yes, because of broadband’s great potential in India’s vastness for enabling people at relatively low cost, compared with, say, fixing energy supply, or sanitation and water, or roads, or growing food. All these are necessary; but broadband is much easier to achieve, at lower cost, and would bring it all more easily within our grasp, especially in rural areas.</p>
<h3>Performance</h3>
<p>Some question the beneficial effect of revenue sharing from the National Telecom Policy, 1999, (NTP-99) suggesting the sector might have done as well or better without the change. Pakistan is cited as an example for growth with auctions. Consider the performance of the sector in both countries. </p>
<p>Chart 1 - Mobile Subscriptions (Millions) 2003-2010</p>
<p><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/copy_of_Chart1MobileSubscriptionsMillions20032010.jpg/image_preview" alt="Chart 1" class="image-inline image-inline" title="Chart 1" /></p>
<p>(The third line shows India’s numbers reduced to 70 per cent, reflecting an estimate of live subscriptions.)</p>
<p>Chart 2 shows the percentage of population served. Pakistan’s coverage grew</p>
<p><strong>Chart 2: Percent Population Covered</strong></p>
<p><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/Chart2PercentagePopulationCoveredJanMar2012.jpg/image_preview" alt="Chart 2" class="image-inline image-inline" title="Chart 2" /></p>
<p>Sources: India – TRAI; PIB; <a class="external-link" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_Statistics_in_India">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecommunications_Statistics_in_India</a><br />Pakistan - <a class="external-link" href="http://www.pta.gov.pk/index.php">http://www.pta.gov.pk/index.php</a></p>
<p>rapidly until about 60 per cent, then tapered off. India started more gradually before accelerating to 60 per cent a couple of years later, and kept going. In March 2011, both were around 70 per cent. At the end of December 2011, India was at 76.86 per cent.</p>
<p>However, there are two major differences. One is the scale of India’s operations. Sheer magnitude makes for much greater complexity, and the achievement is therefore remarkable. The second is the significantly higher government levies in India. India’s telecom sector is perhaps the world’s most heavily burdened, with government collections higher than in Pakistan by 15 to 24 per cent of revenues.* (Compared with China,where government charges are only 3.5 per cent, India’s levies are even more grossly out of line.) Had Indian enterprises not had this burden, it’s conceivable they might have had the capacity and stomach to effectively address rural coverage, especially with the right incentives.</p>
<h3>Achieving Ubiquitous Broadband</h3>
<p>Now consider what needs doing for countrywide access to broadband, and what odds have to be overcome. First, there’s the addition necessary to rural and semi-urban networks, where almost three times the existing coverage is needed. Much of this needs wireless access. This is why spectrum pricing critically affects outcomes. Many people in India harp on a litany of sunk-costs-not-affecting-tariffs, oblivious to the vast deficiency in network coverage, ie, areas and people without access. It’s like arguing over pricing without any production plant or products. Without capital investments in network coverage, there can be no services, nor any tariffs, high or low. There is little doubt of the effects of high spectrum and licence fees: these needs remain unmet. Hence the low rural teledensity of under 39 per cent at the end of February 2012, with urban coverage at nearly 170 per cent, and overall teledensity at 78 per cent. Separately, there’s the issue of inadequate incentives for broadband delivery.</p>
<p>Statements from Trai and the Department of Telecommunications about the spectrum pricing recommendations being reasonable because of the revenue potential simply don’t add up. Their projections are based on a fantasy of booming growth (like the Budget projection of 7.6 per cent GDP growth, but even more exaggerated). Whereas the combined effect of the scam and its fallout, sentiment, momentum, and misguided efforts at tax-gouging will ensure that telecom revenue growth is no more than a stunted five to seven per cent, at best. No bank will lend seven-year funds in such uncertain circumstances to what was once a sunrise sector — but is now like heavy infrastructure, with a need for 20-year financing. Add the costs and difficulty of refarming the 900 MHz spectrum, and one has to wonder: who is going to bid, and why? It makes sense only for one survivor. All this is aside from the extension of subsidised non-performance at the PSUs, instead of transforming them into anchors of an open-access national network. </p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/coming-telecom-monopoly'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/coming-telecom-monopoly</a>
</p>
No publisherShyam PonappaTelecom2012-05-24T07:36:55ZBlog Entry3rd IJLT-CIS Lecture Series at NLSIU, Bangalore
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/ijlt-cis-lecture-series-nlsiu
<b>The Indian Journal of Law and Technology in association with the Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore is organising the 3rd IJLT-CIS Lecture Series at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore. The lecture series will be spread out over the course of the year and will include eminent speakers who will talk with the students and other interested persons on their topics of expertise.</b>
<p><span class="Apple-style-span">
<div>
<p>To kick off the lecture series, Professor Rohan Samarajiva will deliver the inaugural lecture on <em>Tariff Regulation in South Asia</em>.</p>
<p>Tariff regulation has in the recent past attracted the attention of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the Telecom Dispute Settlement Appellate Tribunal, as well as the Department of Telecom at the Union Ministry of Communications. India has a burgeoning and competitive cellular services provider market, and tariff regulation has far-reaching impact on the industry. Moreover, as aware consumers of mobile telephony and data services, this is an issue that is relevant for all of us. </p>
<p>Prof Samarajiva is a pre-eminent figure in policy-making and academia on the subject of information and communications technology, and this is an excellent opportunity to get his insights on the crucial topic, not just from an Indian perspective but from a pan-Asian viewpoint. He has taught at universities in USA, Netherlands and Sri Lanka and is currently Chairman & CEO, LIRNEasia, an ICT policy and regulation think tank active across 12 emerging Asian economies. He is also a Board member at Communication for Policy Research - South, which is a capacity building initiative to develop Asia-Pacific based policy initiatives on ICT policy regulation among junior to mid level scholars. His full profile can be accessed <a class="external-link" href="http://lirneasia.net/about/profiles/rohan-samarajiva/">here</a>.</p>
<p>The lecture will be organised at NLSIU, Bangalore on <em>Sunday, the 27th of May, 2012 from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm</em>. You are requested to take your seats by 5.20 pm. The hour-long session will include both a lecture and an interactive session with the speaker. Interested persons are requested to register for the lecture series by sending in an email to <a class="external-link" href="mailto:editorialboard@ijlt.in">editorialboard@ijlt.in</a></p>
<p>The address of the venue is</p>
<p>National Law School of India University<br />Jnanabharati Road, Nagarbhavi<br />Bangalore - 560072 <br />Google maps location: <a class="external-link" href="http://g.co/maps/ppwcr">http://g.co/maps/ppwcr</a></p>
<p>Follow our event page ‘3rd IJLT-CIS Lecture Series’ on Facebook to remain updated!</p>
<p><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/ijlt-cis-lecture-series.pdf" class="internal-link" title="3rd IJLT-CIS Lecture Series in Bangalore">Download the event poster</a> [PDF, 57 kb]</p>
</div>
</span></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/ijlt-cis-lecture-series-nlsiu'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/ijlt-cis-lecture-series-nlsiu</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaTelecomLectureEvent Type2012-05-25T15:33:16ZEventGovt set to gain ‘back-door’ access to corporate email
http://editors.cis-india.org/news/govt-set-to-gain-2018back-door2019-access-to-corporate-email
<b>The government is just a step away from gaining access to RIM’s widely used BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service, writes Shauvik Ghosh in an article published in LiveMint on 14 February 2012. </b>
<p>In a move that may raise serious questions regarding the privacy of corporate emails exchanged between individuals and employees, the Indian government is all set to gain “back-door” access to emails sent and received over Research In Motion Ltd’s (RIM) BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) within the next two-three months.</p>
<p>“There was a meeting last month with DoT (department of telecommunications) on the issue and the concerned security agencies and some home ministry officials,” a senior DoT official said requesting anonymity. “DoT has to furnish a list of enterprises from whom the key has to be acquired.”</p>
<p>The number of such firms is contained in an internal DoT note that was reviewed by <em>Mint</em>.</p>
<p>“There are about 5,000 enterprises using BES in India,” the note said. “These are communications between the employees of the enterprise only and therefore are not of high concern for security or intelligence agencies.”</p>
<p>However, the capability of using the key to access the communications when needed is still being developed.</p>
<table class="plain">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/govt.jpg/image_preview" alt="Govt" class="image-inline image-inline" title="Govt" /><br /></td>
<td>
<p>Meanwhile, the government is just a step away from gaining access to RIM’s widely used BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) service.</p>
<p>“RIM has set up the necessary infrastructure in Mumbai to enable
real-time access to BBM, as they had said they would,” said the official
cited above. “They had provided for interception via the telecom
service providers, but the intelligence agencies wanted direct access
and so a server has been set up in Mumbai.”</p>
<br /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The note said: “The company had installed the server in Mumbai. This
has been inspected by a team of officers and permission for direct
linkage for lawful interception was expected to be issued shortly.”</p>
<p>The move has raised red flags among privacy advocates over the motives of the government.</p>
<p>“There is no reason given by them on why they need to do this. There are no allegations of terrorists using BES or any indication that any of the 5,000 enterprises have any links to terrorists or other banned outfits in India,” said Pranesh Prakash, programme manager with digital media watchdog Centre for Internet and Society. “What is worrisome is that it is mainly commercial information that is shared on BES and in a large number of cases, this includes dealings with the government of India that they should not be privy to—things like auction bids, etc.”</p>
<p>Such powers can’t be used to pursue offences of financial nature, he said. “There cannot be economic reasons like tax evasion and such for intercepting such communications as the agencies that look into such offences are not authorized to or do not qualify to tap phones, etc.,” Prakash added.</p>
<p>On being asked about the development, an RIM spokesperson responded by citing the company’s January statement. This said RIM had provided a solution that enables India’s wireless carriers to address lawful access requirements for consumer messaging services, which include BBM and BlackBerry Internet Service email.</p>
<p>“The lawful access capability now available to RIM’s carrier partners meets the standard required by the government of India for all consumer messaging services offered in the Indian marketplace,” the company said in that note. “While the details of our regulatory discussions with the government of India remain confidential, we have been assured that all of RIM’s competitors must provide a lawful access capability to this same standard if they have not done so already.”</p>
<p>Mint reported last month that in order to prevent leakage of information, the government was proposing a legal provision, referred to as mandated local server hosting. This would put the onus on companies such as Skype and Google to locate the relevant part of their infrastructure within the country to allow investigative agencies ready access to encrypted communications on their servers.</p>
<p>Apart from leakage of data, the move is also expected to serve security interests and enable law enforcement agencies gain real-time access to information stored on servers and resolve jurisdictional ambiguity.</p>
<p><a class="external-link" href="mailto:shauvik.g@livemint.com"></a><a class="external-link" href="http://www.livemint.com/2012/02/13234611/Govt-set-to-gain-8216backd.html?h=B">The original article was published in Livemint</a>. Pranesh Prakash has been quoted in it.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/news/govt-set-to-gain-2018back-door2019-access-to-corporate-email'>http://editors.cis-india.org/news/govt-set-to-gain-2018back-door2019-access-to-corporate-email</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaTelecom2012-02-14T12:55:53ZNews ItemConvergence India 2012
http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/convergence-india-2012
<b>The 20th Convergence India conference, deemed South Asia’s largest international ICT event, took place in the country’s capital from March 21-23, 2012. Featuring a grand exhibition of innovative products and industry players from over 25 countries as well as an assembly of prominent speakers, the three day event highlighted the importance of ICT growth and equitable distribution for the socio-economic future of India. </b>
<p style="text-align: left;">Yelena Gyulkhandanyan from the Centre for Internet and Society attended the event organised by Exhibitions India Group and shares her experiences through this post.</p>
<h2 align="left">India Goes Digital</h2>
<p>The opening panel discussion, “India Goes Digital”, initiated the three-day-long exchange of knowledge and experience centring around telecom, information security, mobility, cloud computing, cable, satellite, broadcast, media, and social services offered through ICT’s. A principle theme throughout the conversation was the significance of mobile penetration in India. </p>
<p>Stressing the tremendous opportunity for equitable service distribution presented by mobile service delivery, Rajiv Bawa, the Chief Representative Officer (Head-Telenor India), pointed to a study which found that mobile devices are more accessible in India than television sets and are proving to be the main mode of reaching people. Dr. J.S. Sarma, Chairman Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, who headed the panel, emphasized the importance of data and application services for the expansion of digitization in India. The application industry needs to be mobilized in the field of education, agriculture, banking, finance, and others. A. K. Bhatnagar, Doordarshan Engineer-in-Chief highlighted the advantages of digitization, those being superior quality, flexibility, high reliability, spectrum and power efficiency, as well as multimedia and Value Added Service (VAS) delivery. The growth of digitization has been enabled by techniques such as coding, modulation, and multiplexing. </p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/Convergence.jpg/image_preview" alt="Convergence India 2012" class="image-inline image-inline" title="Convergence India 2012" /></p>
<table class="plain">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>While all speakers maintained that digitization will contribute to an
inclusive and equitable growth in the country, no one denied the
challenges lying in the road ahead. Out of the 900 million mobile
subscribers accounted for in India, only 500-600 million are active
users, remarked Pankaj Mohindroo, Managing Director, South Asia, NICE
Systems. Many people are still left out of the telecommunications
network. Extending mobile services to rural and remote areas and making
hardware more affordable is a priority. As a step towards meeting some
of these objectives, Mr. Mohindroo praised the National Optical Fibre
Network (NOFN) initiative to provide broadband connectivity to all
Panchayats. As well, the WiFi model needs to be leveraged to further
extend coverage.</td>
<td><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/Fiber.jpg/image_preview" title="Optical Fibre" height="268" width="204" alt="Optical Fibre" class="image-inline image-inline" /></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2 align="left">Long Term Evolution <br /></h2>
<p align="left">Long Term Evolution (LTE) is a wireless broadband technology that enables roaming Internet access through cell phones and handheld devices. It seeks to provide excellent quality IP-based services such as VoIP and web site browsing. Compared to 2G and 3G technology, LTE has much faster download rates. Panel participants discussed the development of revenue generating business models for LTE deployment and some challenges for operators in India.</p>
<table class="plain">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/Skyware.jpg/image_preview" title="Skyware" height="222" width="294" alt="Skyware" class="image-inline image-inline" /><br />Skyware Global: ODU system provider <br /></td>
<td>By 2014 the Asia-Pacific region is expected to be the biggest market for
LTE, acquiring 40 per cent of the world market by 2016. Thirty-five
countries have already launches LTE services; panel participant S. P.
Jeyrath, Advisor, Tulip Telecom, is sure that India will add to this
number, becoming a story of great growth. Nevertheless, to for LTE to
succeed, some core challenges need to be met. Some of these include:
high prices of smart handsets; limitation of spectrum and coverage area
of existing operators; and the challenge of using current infrastructure
to deploy mobile broadband. According to Jaswant Boyat, Technical
Director-SP India & SAARC, Cisco, content management and the
development of regional and national data centres is a priority when
introducing LTE services in India. Other strategies involve decreasing
tariffs to make the services more affordable and creating a solid
marketing strategy.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Greet ICT’s</h2>
<p align="left">With the increasing spread ICT’s worldwide, green ICT’s are becoming integral for sustainable development. Green telecom networks and solutions for telecom in India were the topics of the next day’s conversation. Naresh Ajwani, Chief Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Viom Networks Limited, pointed out that the matter of employing green technology concerns the telecom industry because India has a 33% electricity penetration, while the telecom penetration is beyond 65 per cent. It was also recognized that India’s carbon footprint is minimal, but that should not stop the implementation of environmentally-friendly solutions where it is feasible to do so.</p>
<p align="left">The speakers highlighted a number of attainable solutions for greening the telecom industry in India. According to Jacob Mathews, VP – Network Services, Aditya Birla Group, regulators should set energy targets and embark on a strict monitoring program to ensure compliance. Sharat Chandra, Managing Director, TelEnergy Technologies Pvt. Ltd., stressed that Renewable Energy Service Companies (RESCO’s), the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), and telecom operators need to work together to achieve the set targets. Specialists in renewable energy solutions need to be given participatory space and be treated as partners in the process of innovation. Other key factors in reducing energy consumption are infrastructure and spectrum sharing, as well as optimizing solar and biomass technologies that are already available.</p>
<h2 align="left">Mobile Service Delivery</h2>
<h3>Mobile Financial Services</h3>
<p>With mobile penetration on a phenomenal rise, a cell phone holds the promise of reaching the most marginalized members of the population; facilitating an accessible and equitable service distribution; and ushering in a new era where a simple hand held device that fits in our pocket will be the bridge that extends through the vast digital divide. Panel members discussed and debated the potential of mobile-enabled services, in particular, mobile financial services, m-education, m-governance, m-health, and m-entertainment. </p>
<p>President and Country Head, Yes Bank Limited, Tushar Pandey, listed
the three factors of financial inclusion: savings, insurance, and
credit. However, the challenge in distributing these factors to all
members of the population is that many citizens still do not have a bank
account. Fortunately mobile phones have succeeded in reaching many of
those that are left out of the banking system. This reality makes mobile
financial services, such as money transfers, wallets, and banking a
viable alternative. The mobile payments platform is for the bottom of the pyramid
consumers, explained Dr. Sam Pitroda, Advisor to PM, because it gets rid
of the middleman and hence reduces opportunities and incidences of
corruption and money swindling. Through mobile money transfers, people
can get government monetary assistance, such as subsidies, directly
through their phone. All that is needed for mobile transactions are
payee’s mobile number and the Mobile Money Identifier (MMID) which is a
seven digit account number assigned by the bank.</p>
<p>Presently, it is possible to send up to Rs. 5000 over a text message. Nevertheless cash transactions are still predominant in India. Anand Bajaj, CIO, Yes Bank Ltd., compared India’s cash economy, which is approximately 50-60 per cent to Sweden’s, where it is around 4 per cent. According to Sonny Sannon, CEO, Transnet India, for mobile financial services to really take off, there needs to be a unifying brand much like ISIS in US, which is a joint venture between AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless specializing in mobile payments. A significant investment in marketing, advertisement, and customer literacy is also required.</p>
<h3>Mobile Service Delivery in India</h3>
<p>As stated by Vinod Melarkode, Director – Qpass, Amdocs, the service industry contributes to 55 per cent of India’s GDP. Mobile services can further increase this percentage. Melarkode proceeded to outline the advantages of m-services: m-governance will contribute to a decrease in costs associated with service distribution as well as enhance social inclusion; m-learning will extend basic education, as well as enable the sharing of exam tips and result alerts; m-information will extend access to knowledge and entertainment; m-health will allow medical examinations and diagnosis to be done remotely. Several factors need to be in place for the success of the m-service model: cloud based solutions need to be implemented; the model needs to be easily assimilated with exiting mobile network operator systems; as well, the model should be scalable, secure, and high performing. Android phones are secure and affordable, and can further enable the proliferation of m-services. </p>
<p>Describing m-service initiatives that are already being implemented throughout the country, the speakers reflected on present challenges and solutions for the future. Sanjay Vijaykumar, Co Founder & CEO, MobMe, reflected on his observations on an initiative involving fishermen receiving information on their mobile phones about the whereabouts of fish obtained through satellite monitoring. According to Vijaykumar, for the past three years the only message that the fisherman receive is “cloudy, no service”. This case study was used to illustrate that m-initiatives often look good on paper, but do not work in reality. Hence constant monitoring and evaluation is necessary to maintain the service.</p>
<p>Anupam Varghese, VP – R&D, Eko India Financial Services Private Limited, spoke about a project in Bihar where ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers receive their pay through their mobile phones.Varghese pointed out that this is a successful case study, but such models need to be replicated on a large scale. Reflecting on the e-governance scheme, he was of the opinion that e-governance currently does not function as widely and efficiently as it could, because it is not mandated by law and hence is not implemented as extensively as it should. The Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, which mandates the electronic delivery of all government services, is a step towards overcoming this challenge. Referring to the concern that even if electronic service delivery systems are established, people will not have the necessary skills and awareness to use them, he asserted that we need to begin with creating infrastructure and systems for service delivery, and given time, we can be sure that people will learn to use them.</p>
<h2>The Exhibition </h2>
<p>An expanse of exhibits displaying some of the latest technologies and innovative service models stretched outside the conference hall. The exhibition proved to be a prolific ground for networking opportunities and knowledge dissemination.</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://editors.cis-india.org/home-images/Converge.jpg/image_preview" title="Convergence India" height="335" width="454" alt="Convergence India" class="image-inline" /></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/convergence-india-2012'>http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/convergence-india-2012</a>
</p>
No publisherYelena GyulkhandanyanTelecom2012-03-30T05:46:41ZBlog EntryJuly 2011 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/july-2011-bulletin
<b>Greetings from the Centre for Internet and Society! In this issue we are pleased to present you the latest updates about our research, upcoming events, and news and media coverage:</b>
<h2><b>Researchers@Work</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">RAW is a multidisciplinary research initiative. To build original research knowledge base, the RAW programme has been collaborating with different organisations and individuals to focus on its three year thematic of Histories of the Internets in India. Five monographs: <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/cis-raw/histories/rewiring/rewiring-call-for-review" target="_blank">Re: Wiring Bodies</a> by Asha Achuthan, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/cis-raw/histories/archives/the-archive-and-the-indian-historian/?searchterm=archive%20and%20access" target="_blank">Archive and Access</a> by Aparna Balachandran and Rochelle Pinto, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/cis-raw/histories/pleasure-porno/pornography-and-law" target="_blank">Pornography and the Law</a> by Namita Malhotra, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/cis-raw/histories/last-mile/last-mile-problem" target="_blank">The Leap of Rhodes or, How India Dealt with the Last Mile Problem – An Inquiry into Technology and Governance</a> by Ashish Rajadhyaksha and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/cis-raw/histories/Internetcities/city-and-space" target="_blank">Internet, Society and Space in Indian Cities</a> by Pratyush Shankar were sent for peer review.</p>
<h3>Upcoming Event in CEPT, Ahmedabad</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/conferences/conference-blogs/workshop" target="_blank">Locating Internets: Histories of the Internet(s) in India — Research Training and Curriculum Workshop: Call for Participation</a> [Deadline for submission – 26 July 2011; Participants to be selected by 30 July 2011; Workshop from 19 to 22 August 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Digital Natives with a Cause?</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Digital Natives with a Cause? is a knowledge programme initiated by CIS and Hivos, Netherlands. It is a research inquiry that seeks to look at the changing landscape of social change and political participation and the role that young people play through digital and Internet technologies, in emerging information societies. Consolidating knowledge from Asia, Africa and Latin America, it builds a global network of knowledge partners who want to critically engage with the dominant discourse on youth, technology and social change, in order to look at the alternative practices and ideas in the Global South. It also aims at building new ecologies that amplify and augment the interventions and actions of the digitally young as they shape our futures.</p>
<h3>The Digital Natives Newsletter</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">"Links in the Chain" is a bi-monthly publication which highlights the projects, ideas and news of the "Digital Natives with a Cause?" community members. It includes opinion posts by participants from the three workshops — <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/talking-back/?searchterm=talking%20back" target="_blank">Talking Back</a> (Taipei, 15 – 18 August 2010), <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/my-bubble-my-space-my-voice-workshop-perspective-and-future/?searchterm=my%20bubble" target="_blank">My Bubble, My Space, My Voice</a> (Johannesburg, 6 – 9 November 2010) and <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/digital-natives-with-a-cause-workshop-in-santiago-open-call/?searchterm=santiago" target="_blank">From Face to the Interface</a> (Santiago, 8 – 10 February 2011) as well as the facilitators, interviews with them, comics and cartoons highlighting current issues affecting the community, as well as current news and discussions happening at the project website, <a href="http://www.digitalnatives.in" target="_blank">www.digitalnatives.in</a>.</p>
<ol>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/2011/06/23/digital-dinosaurs" target="_blank">The Digital Dinosaurs</a> [Links in the Chain, Volume 7]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/Mid-year%20Edition%20-%20Final.pdf" target="_blank">Special Mid Year Edition</a> [Links in the Chain, Volume 8]</li>
</ol>
<h2><b>Accessibility</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Estimates of the percentage of the world's population that is disabled vary considerably. But what is certain is that if we count functional disability, then a large proportion of the world's population is disabled in one way or another. At CIS we work to ensure that the digital technologies, which empower disabled people and provide them with independence, are allowed to do so in practice and by the law. To this end, we support web accessibility guidelines, and change in copyright laws that currently disempower the persons with disabilities.</p>
<h3>Featured Research</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/accessibility/blog/accessibility-policy-international-perspective" target="_blank">Accessibility Policy Making: An International Perspective</a> (Revised Edition 2011) [A G3ict White Paper researched and edited by the Center for Internet and Society, Bangalore, India. Editor: Nirmita Narasimhan, Revised edition: May 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Access to Knowledge (previously IPR Reform)</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS believes that access to knowledge and culture is essential as it promotes creativity and innovation and bridges the gaps between the developed and developing world positively. Hence, the campaigns for an international treaty on copyright exceptions for print-impaired, advocating against PUPFIP Bill, calls for the WIPO Broadcast Treaty to be restricted to broadcast, questioning the demonization of 'pirates', and supporting endeavours that explore and question the current copyright regime.</p>
<h3>Featured</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/ipr/blog/intermediary-liability-wipo-speech" target="_blank">Don't Shoot the Messenger: Speech on Intermediary Liability at 22nd SCCR of WIPO</a> (speech by Pranesh Prakash at a side-event co-organized from 15 to 24 June 2011, by WIPO and the Internet Society on intermediary liability).</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Openness</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS believes that innovation and creativity should be fostered through openness and collaboration and is committed towards promotion of open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software.</p>
<h3>Documentary</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/openness/blog/people-are-knowledge" target="_blank">People are Knowledge – Experimenting with Oral Citations on Wikipedia</a> (co-produced by CIS in association with the Wikimedia Foundation, on Oral Citations in India and South Africa)</li>
</ul>
<h3>Featured</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/openness/blog/opening-government-best-practice-guide" target="_blank">Opening Government: A Guide to Best Practice in Transparency, Accountability and Civic Engagement across the Public Sector</a> (published by Transparency & Accountability Initiative, CIS contributed the section on Open Government Data).</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Internet Governance</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Although there may not be one centralized authority that rules the Internet, the Internet does not just run by its own volition: for it to operate in a stable and reliable manner, there needs to be in place infrastructure, a functional domain name system, ways to curtail cyber crime across borders, etc. The Tunis Agenda of the second World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), paragraph 34 defined Internet governance as “the development and application by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.” Its latest endeavour has resulted into these:</p>
<h3>New Blog Post</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/2011/07/12/rti-and-third-party-info" target="_blank">RTI and Third Party Information: What Constitutes the Private and Public?</a> [by Noopur Raval]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Events Organised</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/socio-financial-online-networks/?searchterm=Radhika%20Gajalla" target="_blank">Socio-financial Online Networks: Globalizing Micro-Credit through Micro-transactional Networked Platforms – A Public Lecture by Radhika Gajalla</a> [at CIS, Bangalore on 8 July 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/internet-surveillance-policy-lecture" target="_blank">Internet Surveillance Policy: “…the second time as farce?” – A Public Lecture by Caspar Bowden</a> [at TERI, Bangalore on 27 June 2011]</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing a project, ‘Privacy in Asia’. <i>It is funded by Privacy International (PI), UK and the International Development Research Centre, Canada and is being administered in collaboration with the Society and Action Group, Gurgaon</i>. The two-year project commenced on 24 March 2010 and will be completed as agreed to by the stakeholders. It was set up with the objective of raising awareness, sparking civil action and promoting democratic dialogue around challenges and violations of privacy in India. In furtherance of these goals it aims to draft and promote over-arching privacy legislation in India by drawing upon legal and academic resources and consultations with the public.</p>
<h3>Featured</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/07/19/privacy-media-law" target="_blank">Privacy & Media Law</a> (by Sonal Makhija). The research examines the existing media norms governed by Press Council of India, the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and the Code of Ethics drafted by the News Broadcasting Standard Authority, the constitutional protection guaranteed to an individual’s right to privacy upheld by the courts, and the reasons the State employs to justify the invasion of privacy.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Comments<b> </b></h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/privacy-bill-2010/?searchterm=%EF%82%A7Right%20to%20Privacy%20Bill%202010%20%E2%80%94%20A%20Few%20Comments" target="_blank">Right to Privacy Bill 2010 — A Few Comments</a> (by Elonnai Hickok). CIS has given specific recommendations and specific comments on the Right to Privacy Bill, 2010, which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha by Rajeev Chandrashekhar.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Event Report</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/07/21/privacy-guwahati-report" target="_blank">Privacy Matters, Guwahati</a> – the event was organised by IDRC, Society in Action Group, IDEA Chirang, an NGO initiative working with grassroots initiatives in Assam, Privacy India and CIS on 23 June 2011. </li>
</ul>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/07/15/scam-baiting" target="_blank">My Experiment with Scam Baiting</a> (by Sahana Sarkar)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/07/18/when-data-is-privacy" target="_blank">When Data Means Privacy, What Traces Are You Leaving Behind?</a> (by Noopur Raval)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/07/23/video-surveillance-privacy" target="_blank">Video Surveillance and Its Impact on the Right to Privacy</a> (by Elonnai Hickok)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/07/23/consumer-privacy-e-commerce" target="_blank">Consumer Privacy in e-Commerce</a> (by Sahana Sarkar)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/07/24/dna-overview" target="_blank">An Overview of DNA Labs in India</a> (by Shilpa Narani)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/uid-nothing-to-hide-fear/weblogentry_view" target="_blank">UID: Nothing to Hide, Nothing to Fear?</a> (by Shilpa Narani)</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>News & Media Coverage</b></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/failure-to-harness-power-of-net" target="_blank">Indian SMEs still fail to harness the power of Net</a> [Sunday Guardian, 19 June 2011]</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/sorry-wrong-number" target="_blank">Sorry Wrong Number</a> [Telegraph, 3 July 2011]</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/aadhaar-truth" target="_blank">Aadhaar’s moment of truth</a> [Deccan Herald, 5 July 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/walls-have-ears" target="_blank">The Walls Have Ears</a> [Outlook, issue, 11 July 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/transparent-government-india" target="_blank">Transparent Government, via Webcams in India</a> [New York Times, 17 July 2011]; news also published in other languages in <a href="http://www.wprost.pl/ar/253803/Truman-show-w-indyjskim-rzadzie/" target="_blank">wprost</a> (Polish), <a href="http://www.ictnews.vn/Home/thoi-su/An-Do-lap-camera-de-chong-tham-nhung/2011/07/2MSVC7185287/View.htm" target="_blank">ictnews</a> (Vietnamese) and <a href="http://www.arretsurimages.net/vite.php?id=11710" target="_blank">@rret sur images</a>(French)</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/nyt-lauds-oommen-chandy" target="_blank">NYT lauds Oommen Chandy’s 24/7 office webcast</a> [Deccan Chronicle, 19 July 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/uid-worlds-largest-database" target="_blank">UID: The World’s Largest Biometric Database</a> [International School on Digital Transformation, 21 July 2011]. Sunil Abraham made a <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/uid-largest-database" target="_blank">presentation</a>.</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/facebook-my-lousy-boyfriend" target="_blank">Facebook, my boyfriend is lousy</a> [Bangalore Mirror, 24 July 2011]</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/portugal-well-for-transparency" target="_blank">Portal augurs well for transparency</a> [The Hindu, 25 July 2011] </li>
</ul>
<h2>Follow us elsewhere</h2>
<ul>
<li>Get short, timely messages from us on <a href="http://twitter.com/cis_india" target="_blank">Twitter</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Follow CIS on <a href="http://identi.ca/main/remote?nickname=cis" target="_blank">identi.ca</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Join the CIS group on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28535315687" target="_blank">Facebook</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Visit us at <a href="http://www.cis-india.org/" target="_blank">www.cis-india.org</a></li>
</ul>
<p><i>CIS is grateful to Kusuma Trust which was founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin, for its core funding and support for most of its projects.</i></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/july-2011-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/july-2011-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceCISRAWOpenness2012-07-30T07:00:26ZPageJune 2011 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/june-2011-bulletin
<b>Greetings from the Centre for Internet and Society! In this issue we are pleased to present you the latest updates about our research, upcoming events, and news and media coverage:</b>
<h2><b>Researchers@Work</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">RAW is a multidisciplinary research initiative. CIS believes that in order to understand the contemporary concerns in the field of Internet and society, it is necessary to produce local and contextual accounts of the interaction between the Internet and socio-cultural and geo-political structures. To build original research knowledge base, the RAW programme has been collaborating with different organisations and individuals to focus on its three year thematic of Histories of the Internets in India. Six monographs Rewiring Bodies, Archive and Access, Pornography and the Law, The Leap of Rhodes or, How India Dealt with the Last Mile Problem - An Inquiry into Technology and Governance, Transparency and Politics and Internet, Society and Space in Indian Cities are published online and will be launched later this year.</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/cis-raw/histories/Internetcities/cept-centre-for-role-of-internet">CEPT to Set up Centre to Research Role of Internet in Social Development</a> [Published in the Indian Express on June 18, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Upcoming Event in CEPT, Ahmedabad</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/conferences/conference-blogs/workshop">Locating Internets: Histories of the Internet(s) in India — Research Training and Curriculum Workshop: Call for Participation</a> [Deadline for submission – 15 July 2011; Workshop from 19 to 22 August 2011]</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h2><b>Digital Natives with a Cause?</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Digital Natives with a Cause? is a knowledge programme initiated by CIS and Hivos, Netherlands. It is a research inquiry that seeks to look at the changing landscape of social change and political participation and the role that young people play through digital and Internet technologies, in emerging information societies. Consolidating knowledge from Asia, Africa and Latin America, it builds a global network of knowledge partners who want to critically engage with the dominant discourse on youth, technology and social change, in order to look at the alternative practices and ideas in the Global South. It also aims at building new ecologies that amplify and augment the interventions and actions of the digitally young as they shape our futures.</p>
<h3>The Digital Natives Newsletter</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/digital-dinosaurs/weblogentry_view">The Digital Dinosaurs</a> [Volume 5]</li>
</ul>
<h2><b> Pathways</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">HE Cell's initiative on social justice, in collaboration with CIS, has initiated the Pathways Project for Learning in Higher Education. It is supported by the Ford Foundation. Under this project, nine under-graduate colleges in different parts of India will be identified to provide special skills in livelihood, knowledge and technology to underprivileged students in those colleges.</p>
<h3>New Blog Entry</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/grants/pathways-project/pathways-proposal-info/weblogentry_view">Pathways for Learning in Higher Education</a> </li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Accessibility</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Estimates of the percentage of the world's population that is disabled vary considerably. But what is certain is that if we count functional disability, then a large proportion of the world's population is disabled in one way or another. At CIS we work to ensure that the digital technologies, which empower disabled people and provide them with independence, are allowed to do so in practice and by the law. To this end, we support web accessibility guidelines, and change in copyright laws that currently disempower the persons with disabilities.</p>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/accessibility/blog/2011/06/21/communications-and-video-accessibility">Policy Spotlight: 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act</a> [Written by Deepti Bharthur; contains an e-mail interview with Jenifer Simpson, Senior Director for Government Affairs and head of the Telecommunications & Technology Policy Initiative at the American Association of People with Disabilities ]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/accessibility/blog/2011/06/13/ict-sri-lanka">ICT Accessibility in Sri Lanka</a> [Written by Nirmita Narasimhan]</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Intellectual Property</b></h2>
<p>CIS believes that access to knowledge and culture is essential as it promotes creativity and innovation and bridges the gaps between the developed and developing world positively. Hence, the campaigns for an international treaty on copyright exceptions for print-impaired, advocating against PUPFIP Bill, calls for the WIPO Broadcast Treaty to be restricted to broadcast, questioning the demonization of 'pirates', and supporting endeavours that explore and question the current copyright regime.</p>
<h3>Statement</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/ipr/blog/sccr-22ndsession-cis-statement">Statement of CIS, India, on the WIPO Broadcast Treaty at the 22nd SCCR</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>New Blog Entry</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/ipr/blog/lid-on-royalty-outflows">Putting a Lid on Royalty Outflows — How the RBI can Help Reduce your IP Costs</a> [Written by Sanjana Govil]</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h2><b>Openness</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS believes that innovation and creativity should be fostered through openness and collaboration and is committed towards promotion of open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software.</p>
<h3>Submission</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/openness/blog/2011/06/08/draft-ndsap-comments">Comments on the draft National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy</a> [submitted to the National Spatial Data Infrastructure]</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h2><b>Internet Governance</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Although there may not be one centralized authority that rules the Internet, the Internet does not just run by its own volition: for it to operate in a stable and reliable manner, there needs to be in place infrastructure, a functional domain name system, ways to curtail cyber crime across borders, etc. The Tunis Agenda of the second World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), paragraph 34 defined Internet governance as “the development and application by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.” Its latest endeavour has resulted into these:</p>
<h3>New Articles</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/the-present-and-future-dangers-of-indias-draconian-new-internet-regulations/weblogentry_view">The Present — and Future — Dangers of India's Draconian New Internet Regulations</a> [By Anja Kovacs in the Caravan on June 1, 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/big-brother-watching-you/weblogentry_view">Big Brother is Watching You</a> [By Sunil Abraham in Deccan Herald on June 1, 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/2011/06/08/digital-is-political">The Digital is Political</a> [By Nishant Shah in Down to Earth, Issue of June 15, 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/want-to-be-watched/weblogentry_view">Do You Want to be Watched?</a> [By Sunil Abraham in Pragati on June 8, 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/2011/06/09/snooping-to-data-abuse">Snooping Can Lead to Data Abuse</a> [By Sunil Abraham in Mail Today on June 9, 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/2011/06/22/privacy-and-security">Privacy and Security Can Co-exist</a> [By Sunil Abraham in Mail Today on June 21, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Column in Indian Express</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Nishant Shah, Director-Research will be writing a series of columns on Internet and Society issues:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/2011/06/08/password-in-hindi">Say 'Password' in Hindi</a> [By Nishant Shah in the Indian Express, May 15, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Upcoming Event</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/socio-financial-online-networks">Socio-financial Online Networks: Globalizing Micro-Credit through Micro-transactional Networked Platforms – A Public Lecture by Radhika Gajalla</a> [at the Centre for Internet and Society, Bangalore, July 8, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing a project, ‘Privacy in Asia’. <i>It is funded by Privacy International (PI), UK and the International Development Research Centre, Canada and is being administered in collaboration with the Society and Action Group, Gurgaon</i>. The two-year project commenced on 24 March 2010 and will be completed as agreed to by the stakeholders. It was set up with the objective of raising awareness, sparking civil action and promoting democratic dialogue around challenges and violations of privacy in India. In furtherance of these goals it aims to draft and promote over-arching privacy legislation in India by drawing upon legal and academic resources and consultations with the public.</p>
<h3>Featured Research</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/06/14/copyright-enforcement">Copyright Enforcement and Privacy in India</a> [Written by Prashant Iyengar]</li>
</ul>
<h3>New Articles<b> </b></h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/06/04/street-view-of-private-and-public">A Street View of Private and the Public</a> [By Prashant Iyengar in Tehelka on June 4, 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/blind-man-view-of-elephunt%20/?searchterm=The%20new%20Right%20to%20Privacy%20Bill%202011%20%E2%80%94%20A%20Blind%20Man%27s%20View%20of%20the%20Elephunt">The new Right to Privacy Bill 2011 — A Blind Man's View of the Elephunt</a> [By Prashant Iyengar in Privacy India website on June 8, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h3>New Blog Entry</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/2011/06/03/bloggers-rights-and-privacy">Bloggers' Rights Subordinated to Rights of Expression: Cyber Law Expert</a></li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h3>Event organised in Guwahati</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-guwahati-conference.pdf/view">Privacy matters</a> [Donbosco Institute, Kharguli, Guwahati, June 23, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Upcoming Events</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/internet-surveillance-policy-lecture">Internet Surveillance Policy: “…the second time as farce?” – A Public Lecture by Caspar Bowden</a> [TERI, Bangalore, June 27, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/privacy-matters-hyderabad">Privacy Matters - A Public Conference in Hyderabad</a> [Osmania University Center for International Program, Hyderabad, July 9, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Telecom</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The growth in telecommunications in India has been impressive. While the potential for growth and returns exist, a range of issues need to be addressed for this potential to be realized. One aspect is more extensive rural coverage and the second aspect is a countrywide access to broadband which is low at about eight million subscriptions. Both require effective and efficient use of networks and resources, including spectrum. It is imperative to resolve these issues in the common interest of users and service providers. CIS campaigns to facilitate this:</p>
<h3>Articles by Shyam Ponappa</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Shyam Ponappa is a Distinguished Fellow at CIS. He writes regularly on Telecom issues in the Business Standard and these articles are mirrored on the CIS website as well.</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/telecom/blog/2011/06/08/ntp-2011-objective">NTP 2011 Objective: Broadband</a> [published in the Business Standard on June 2, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Miscellaneous</b></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/notices/technology-transparency-accountability">Technology, Transparency and Accountability: A Bar-Camp in Delhi</a> [June 5, 2011, Delhi]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/notices/communication-policy-advocacy-technology-and-online-freedom-of-expression-a-toolkit-for-media-development">Communication Policy Advocacy, Technology, and Online Freedom of Expression: A Toolkit for Media Development</a> [June 20 – July 1, 2011, Budapest, Hungary]</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h2><b>News & Media Coverage</b></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/cyber-space-hackers-paradise">Your cyber space is a hackers paradise</a> [Mail Today, June 6, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/centaur-reveals-personal-info">Centaur website reveals guests' personal info</a> [Times of India, June 20, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/seamier-side-of-texting">Mumbai Takes Note of Sexting, the Seamier Side of Texting</a> [Times of India, June 19, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/state-just-did-to-you">Look what the state just did to you</a> [Mid Day, June 12, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/india-e-tolerance">Tough neighbourhood tests India's e-tolerance</a> [Times of India, June 12, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/looser-web-rules">India Weighing Looser Web Rules</a> [Wall Street Journal, May 30, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/public-data-on-web">Public data on the Web leaves much to be desired</a> [Hindu, May 28, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/aadhar-coming-to-bengaluru">What documents will you need, to get UID?</a> [CitizenMatters.in, May 28, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/mobile-education-villages">Mobile education comes to villages</a> [Mail Today, May 27, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/google-stalks-street">Google now stalks your street</a> [Hindu, May 27, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/women-love-facebook">Women in love with Facebook</a> [Deccan Herald, May 27, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/google-unveils-controversial-street-view">Google Unveils Controversial Street View Mapping in B’lore</a> [Economic Times, Mumbai, May 27, 2011]</li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/e-g-8-report-internet-rights">NGOs say eG8 report must stress internet rights</a> [TELECOMPAPER, May 26, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h2>Follow us elsewhere</h2>
<ul>
<li>Get short, timely messages from us on <a href="http://twitter.com/cis_india">Twitter</a></li>
<li>Follow CIS on <a href="http://identi.ca/main/remote?nickname=cis">identi.ca</a></li>
<li>Join the CIS group on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28535315687">Facebook</a></li>
<li>Visit us at <a href="http://www.cis-india.org/">www.cis-india.org</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to Kusuma Trust which was founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin, for its core funding and support for most of its projects.</i></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/june-2011-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/june-2011-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceCISRAWOpenness2012-07-30T07:14:57ZPageFebruary 2011 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/february-2011-bulletin
<b>Greetings from the Centre for Internet and Society! In this issue we are pleased to present you the latest updates about our research, upcoming events, and news and media coverage:</b>
<h2><b>Researchers@Work</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">RAW is a multidisciplinary research initiative. CIS believes that in order to understand the contemporary concerns in the field of Internet and society, it is necessary to produce local and contextual accounts of the interaction between the Internet and socio-cultural and geo-political structures. To build original research knowledge base, the RAW programme has been collaborating with different organisations and individuals to focus on its three year thematic of Histories of the Internets in India. Monographs finalised from these projects have been published online for public review:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/cis-raw/histories/Internetcities/city-and-space">Internet, Society & Space in Indian Cities</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Digital Natives</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS has interest in developing Digital Identities as a core research area and looks at practices, policies and scholarships in the field to explore relationships between Internet, technology and identity. The Digital Natives project is funded by Hivos, Netherlands. CIS involvement has resulted into these:</p>
<h3>Columns on Digital Natives</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">A fortnightly column on ‘Digital Natives’ authored by Nishant Shah is featured in the Sunday Eye, the national edition of Indian Express, Delhi, from 19 September 2010 onwards. The following articles were published in the Indian Express recently:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/pull-plug">Pull the Plug</a> [published in the Indian Express on February 20, 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/flash-of-change">A FLASH of Change</a> [published in the Indian Express on February 6, 2011]</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/wiki-world">Wiki changes the world</a> [published in the Indian Express on January 23, 2011]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Workshop</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The third and final workshop in the Digital Natives with a Cause? research project took place in Santiago, Chile, from 8 to 10 February 2011. Samuel Tettner wrote a report about the workshop:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/santiago-workshop-an-after-thought">Digital Natives with a Cause? —Workshop in Santiago — an Afterthought</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Blog Entries by Maesey Angelina</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Maesy Angelina is doing Masters on International Development, specializing in Children and Youth Studies at the International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University of Rotterdam. She is working on her research on the activism of digital natives under the Hivos-CIS Digital Natives Knowledge Programme. She spent a month at CIS, working on her dissertation, exploring the Blank Noise Project under the Digital Natives with a Cause? framework. She writes a series of blog entries. The new ones are:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/the-class-question">The Class Question</a></li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/diving-into-the-digital">Diving Into the Digital</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Blog Entry by Samuel Tettner</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Samuel Tettner is a Coordinator in the Digital Natives project. He has written one blog entry:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/research/dn/computers-in-society">Computer Science & Society – The Roles Defined</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Accessibility</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Estimates of the percentage of the world's population that is disabled vary considerably. But what is certain is that if we count functional disability, then a large proportion of the world's population is disabled in one way or another. At CIS we work to ensure that the digital technologies, which empower disabled people and provide them with independence, are allowed to do so in practice and by the law. To this end, we support web accessibility guidelines, and change in copyright laws that currently disempower the persons with disabilities.</p>
<h3>New Blog Entry</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/accessibility/blog/working-draft">The Working Draft of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2010: Does it exceed its Mandate in Including Provisions Relating to Other Disability Legislations</a>?</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Intellectual Property</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS believes that access to knowledge and culture is essential as it promotes creativity and innovation and bridges the gaps between the developed and developing world positively. Hence, the campaigns for an international treaty on copyright exceptions for print-impaired, advocating against PUPFIP Bill, calls for the WIPO Broadcast Treaty to be restricted to broadcast, questioning the demonization of 'pirates', and supporting endeavours that explore and question the current copyright regime. Our latest endeavour has resulted into these:</p>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/ipr/blog/exhaustion/weblogentry_view">Exhaustion: Imports, Exports and the Doctrine of First Sale in Indian Copyright Law</a></li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/ipr/blog/parallel-importation-rebuttal">Thomas Abraham's Rebuttal on Parallel Importation</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/ipr/blog/indian-law-and-parallel-exports">Indian Law and "Parallel Exports"</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/ipr/blog/parallel-importation-of-books">Why Parallel Importation of Books Should Be Allowed</a>
<ul>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Openness</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS believes that innovation and creativity should be fostered through openness and collaboration and is committed towards promotion of open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software, its latest involvement have yielded these results:</p>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/openness/blog/digital-commons">Engaging on the Digital Commons</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/openness/blog/comments-ifeg-phase-1">CIS Comments on the Interoperability Framework for e-Governance</a> (Phase I)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/openness/blog/withdrawal-of-journal-access">Withdrawal of Journal Access is a Wake-up Call for Researchers in the Developing World</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b> Internet Governance</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Although there may not be one centralised authority that rules the Internet, the Internet does not just run by its own volition: for it to operate in a stable and reliable manner, there needs to be in place infrastructure, a functional domain name system, ways to curtail cyber crime across borders, etc. The Tunis Agenda of the second World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), paragraph 34 defined Internet governance as “the development and application by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.” CIS involvement in the field of Internet governance has taken the following shape:</p>
<h3>Announcement</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/google-policy-fellowship">Google Policy Fellowship Program: Asia Chapter</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/intermediary-due-diligence">Comments on Intermediary Due Diligence Rules, 2011</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/cyber-cafe-rules">Comments on Cyber Café Rules, 2011</a></li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/blog/security-practices-rules">Comments on Draft Reasonable Security Practices Rules, 2011</a></li>
</ul>
<h3><b>Privacy</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing a project, ‘Privacy in Asia’. It is funded by Privacy International (PI), UK and the International Development Research Centre, Canada and is being administered in collaboration with the Society and Action Group, Gurgaon. The two-year project commenced on 24<sup>th</sup> March 2010 and will be completed as agreed to by the stakeholders. It was set up with the objective of raising awareness, sparking civil action and promoting democratic dialogue around challenges and violations of privacy in India. In furtherance of these goals it aims to draft and promote over-arching privacy legislation in India by drawing upon legal and academic resources and consultations with the public.</p>
<h3>Blog Entries by Elonnai Hickok</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Elonnai Hickok is a Programme Associate in the Privacy in Asia project. She has published a series of Open Letters to the Finance Committee regarding the UID:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/biometrics">Biometrics</a></li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/finance-and-security">Finance and Security</a></li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/uid-and-transactions">UID and Transactions</a></li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/operational-design">Operational Design</a></li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/uid-budget">UID Budget</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Other New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/privacy-conferencebanglaore">Conference Report: 'Privacy Matters' Bangalore</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/privacy-uiddevaprasad">Analysing the Right to Privacy and Dignity with Respect to the UID</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Telecom</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The growth in telecommunications in India has been impressive. While the potential for growth and returns exist, a range of issues need to be addressed for this potential to be realized. One aspect is more extensive rural coverage and the second aspect is a countrywide access to broadband which is low at about eight million subscriptions. Both require effective and efficient use of networks and resources, including spectrum. It is imperative to resolve these issues in the common interest of users and service providers. CIS campaigns to facilitate this:</p>
<h3>Column</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Shyam Ponappa is a Distinguished Fellow at CIS. He writes regularly on Telecom issues in the Business Standard and these articles are mirrored on the CIS website as well.</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/telecom/blog/jhatka-or-halal">Spectrum auctions - 'Jhatka' or 'Halal'?</a> [published in the Business Standard on February 3, 2011]<b><br /> </b></li>
</ul>
<h3><b>Forthcoming Events</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is holding some conferences/workshops in the month of March in Delhi and Bangalore:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/fostering-freedom-of-expression">Role of the Internet in Fostering Freedom of Expression and Strengthening Activism in India - A Workshop in Delhi</a> (March 4, 2011, Constitutional Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/global-freedom-expression">Global Challenges to Freedom of Expression</a> (March 4, 2011, Constitutional Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/electronication">Electronication: Ragas and the Future</a> (March 6, 2011 Jaaga, Bangalore)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/events/design-public">Design!publiC</a> (March 18, 2011, Taj Vivanta, New Delhi)</li>
</ul>
<h3><b>Staff Update</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Deepti Bharthur</b></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Deepti Bhartur is a Research Intern at CIS. She did her BA (Hons) in Journalism from Lady Sriram College, University of Delhi and completed her Masters in Communication from Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad. Deepti joined the Accessibility team of CIS and is working on accessibility in telecom policy in India.</p>
<h2><b>News & Media Coverage</b></h2>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/growing-cyberspace-controls">Growing cyberspace controls, Internet filtering</a> (Hindu, February 20, 2011)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/copyright-amendment">2(m) or not 2(m)</a> (Business Standard, February 19, 2011)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/twitterati-change-world">Can the twitterati change the world?</a> (The Times of India, February 12, 2011)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/mouse-a-tool-of-revolution">Can the mouse be a tool of revolution in India?</a> (DNA, February 12, 2011)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/social-network-suicide">Social Network Suicide</a> (Bangalore Mirror, February 6, 2011)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/new-kids">New Kids on the Blog</a> (Indian Express, February 6, 2011)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/procuring-books">Procuring books in Indian libraries</a> (Hri Institute for Southasian Research and Exchange, February 4, 2011) </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/what-are-you-accused">What Are You Accused of? Find Out Online</a> (Wall Street Journal, February 1, 2011)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/one-wikipedian">One among the clan of Wikipedians</a> (Hindu, January 27, 2011)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/digital-wrongs">Digital Wrongs</a> (Forbes India, January 24, 2011)</li>
</ul>
<h3><b>Follow us elsewhere</b></h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Get short, timely messages from us on <a href="http://twitter.com/cis_india">Twitter</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Follow CIS on <a href="http://identi.ca/main/remote?nickname=cis">identi.ca</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Join the CIS group on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28535315687">Facebook</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; ">Visit us at <a href="http://www.cis-india.org/">www.cis-india.org</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Looking forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to write to us for any queries or details required. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please do write to us and we will unsubscribe your mail ID from the mailing list.<i><br /> CIS is grateful to Kusuma Trust which was founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin, for its core funding and support for most of its projects.</i></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/february-2011-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/february-2011-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceResearchOpenness2012-07-30T11:16:29ZPageJanuary 2011 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/january-2011-bulletin
<b>Greetings from the Centre for Internet and Society! It gives us immense pleasure to present regular updates on the progress of our research on the mainstream Internet media. In this issue of we bring our latest project updates, news and media coverage:</b>
<h2><b>Researchers@Work</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">RAW is a multidisciplinary research initiative. CIS believes that in order to understand the contemporary concerns in the field of Internet and society, it is necessary to produce local and contextual accounts of the interaction between the Internet and socio-cultural and geo-political structures. To build original research knowledge base, the RAW programme has been collaborating with different organisations and individuals to focus on its three year thematic of Histories of the Internets in India. Monographs finalised from these projects have been published on the CIS website for public review:</p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h2><b>Digital Natives</b></h2>
<p>CIS has interest in developing Digital Identities as a core research area and looks at practices, policies and scholarships in the field to explore relationships between Internet, technology and identity.</p>
<h3>Column on Digital Natives</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">A fortnightly column on ‘Digital Natives’ authored by Nishant Shah is featured in the Sunday Eye, the national edition of Indian Express, Delhi, from 19 September 2010 onwards. The following article was published in the Indian Express recently:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://bit.ly/h2E3Jd">Is That a Friend on Your Wall?</a> [published in the Indian Express on 9 January 2010]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Workshop</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The third and final workshop in the Digital Natives with a Cause? research project will take place in Santiago, Chile, from the 8 to 10 February. Open Call and FAQs for the workshop are online:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/emKslL">Digital Natives with a Cause? Workshop in Santiago – An Open Call</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eCu2it">Digital Natives with a Cause? Workshop in Santiago – Some FAQs</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Blog Entry by Maesey Angelina</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Maesy Angelina is a MA candidate on International Development, specializing in Children and Youth Studies at the International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University of Rotterdam. She is working on her research on the activism of digital natives under the Hivos-CIS Digital Natives Knowledge Programme. She spent a month at CIS, working on her dissertation, exploring the Blank Noise Project under the Digital Natives with a Cause framework. She writes a series of blog entries. The latest is:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/hjbzB0">The Digital Tipping Point</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Announcement</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/h92qtI">Rising Voices Seeks Micro-Grant Proposals for Citizen Media Outreach</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Accessibility</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Estimates of the percentage of the world's population that is disabled vary considerably. But what is certain is that if we count functional disability, then a large proportion of the world's population is disabled in one way or another. At CIS we work to ensure that the digital technologies, which empower disabled people and provide them with independence, are allowed to do so in practice and by the law. To this end, we support web accessibility guidelines, and change in copyright laws that currently disempower the persons with disabilities.</p>
<h3>New Blog Entry</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/fgOaHa">Accessibility in Telecommunications</a> </li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Intellectual Property</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Copyright, patents and trademarks are the most important components on the Internet. CIS believes that access to knowledge and culture is essential as it promotes creativity and innovation and bridges the gaps between the developed and developing world positively. Hence, the campaigns for an international treaty on copyright exceptions for print-impaired, advocating against PUPFIP Bill, calls for the WIPO Broadcast Treaty to be restricted to broadcast, questioning the demonization of 'pirates', and supporting endeavours that explore and question the current copyright regime. Our latest endeavour has resulted into these:</p>
<h3>New Blog Entry</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/igNQMW">New Release of IPR Chapter of India-EU Free Trade Agreement</a> </li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Internet Governance</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Although there may not be one centralised authority that rules the Internet, the Internet does not just run by its own volition: for it to operate in a stable and reliable manner, there needs to be in place infrastructure, a functional domain name system, ways to curtail cybercrime across borders, etc. The Tunis Agenda of the second World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), paragraph 34 defined Internet governance as “the development and application by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet.” Within the larger field of Internet governance, the Internet Governance Forum (IGF), a multi-stakeholder policy dialogue forum that was instituted by the WSIS processes and that is their only formal outcome, has fast emerged as one of the key institutions. As the definition quoted above indicates, a unique feature of the field of Internet governance is that, unlike many other governance spheres, it does not only involve governments. Historically, not only governments but also the technical community and private players have played a crucial role in the development of the Internet. In the context of the IGF, that role is not only explicitly acknowledged but also institutionalised as the IGF formally brings together governments, private players and civil society actors from all areas of and organisations involved in Internet governance. Moreover, now that the open and egalitarian potential of the Internet is increasingly under attack, this unique nature of the IGF, in addition to its WSIS roots, has made it a prime venue to remind stakeholders in all areas of Internet governance of the commitment they have made earlier to building a “people-centred, inclusive and development-oriented Information Society” (WSIS Geneva Principles, Para 1). CIS involvement in the field of Internet governance has the following shape:</p>
<h3>New Blog Entry</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/fOB4sL">Jurisdictional Issues in Cyberspace</a><b> </b></li>
</ul>
<h3><b>Privacy</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS has undertaken many new and exciting projects. One of these, "Privacy in Asia", is funded by Privacy International (PI), UK and is being completed in collaboration with Society and Action Group. "Privacy in Asia" is a two-year project that commenced on 24 March 2010 and will complete within two years from the commencement date, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties. The project was set up with the objective of raising awareness, sparking civil action and promoting democratic dialogue around privacy challenges and violations in India. In furtherance of these goals it aims to draft and promote an over-arching privacy legislation in India by drawing upon legal and academic resources and consultations with the public.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Apart from "Privacy in Asia" CIS is also participating in the " Privacy and Identity" project, which is funded by the Ford Foundation and managed by the Centre for Study of Culture and Society. The project is a research inquiry into the history of Privacy in India and how it shapes the contemporary debates around technology mediated identity projects like <i>Aadhaar</i>. The "Privacy and Identity" project started in August 2010.</p>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eWxry1">Privacy Matters — Conference Report</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/gocDqf">An Open Letter to the Finance Committee</a></li>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/igov/privacy-india/privacy-UIDdec17">Does the UID Reflect India?</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Staff Update</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Prashant Iyengar is a lawyer and legal scholar who has worked extensively on intellectual property issues particularly focusing on copyright reform and open access. He is a past recipient of an Open Society Institute fellowship for research into Open Information Policy, and has been affiliated with the Alternative Law Forum – a collective of lawyers in Bangalore engaged in human rights practice.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Prashant joined the Centre for Internet and Society as a lead researcher in the Privacy India project recently.</p>
<h2><b>Telecom</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The growth in telecommunications in India has been impressive. While the potential for growth and returns exist, a range of issues need to be addressed for this potential to be realized. One aspect is more extensive rural coverage and the second aspect is a countrywide access to broadband which is low at about eight million subscriptions. Both require effective and efficient use of networks and resources, including spectrum. It is imperative to resolve these issues in the common interest of users and service providers. CIS campaigns to facilitate this.</p>
<h3>Column</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Shyam Ponappa is a Distinguished Fellow at CIS. He writes regularly on Telecom issues in the Business Standard and these articles are mirrored on the CIS website as well.</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://bit.ly/grwFzq">The policy langurs</a> [published on 6 January 2011]</li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h2><b>News & Media Coverage</b></h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/hcNWgX">Civic hackers seek to find their feet in India</a> (Livemint, 24 January 2011) and (IndiaInfoline, January 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/ihsya0">A Tweet and a poke from the CEO</a> (Livemint, 24 January 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/g19Yrv">Clicktivism & a brave new world order</a> (Mail Today, 2 January 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eiyWsT">Would it be a unique identity crisis</a>? (Bangalore Mirror, 2 January 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/gnJNzc">Nel suk dei nativi digitali. Perché gli studenti 2.0 hanno bisogno di una bussola per orientarsi</a> (Il Sore24 ORE, 2 January 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/fvn4Fw">A Refreshing Start!</a> (Verveonline, Volume 19, Issue 1, January, 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/glcDk1">Getting Connected</a> (Livemint, January 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eN0Njz">Knowledge Warriors</a> (Il Sore24 ORE, January 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/f5m3fg">Nishant Shah Quoted in Livemint 2011 Tweet-out</a> (Livemint, January 2011)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eti5N2">Digital Natives with a Cause? - Workshop in Chile seeks participants</a> (Bahama islands info, 30 December 2010)</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/h1YBgf">Mothers discuss kids, music, fashions, on Net</a> (The Hindu, 26 December 2010)</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
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</ul>
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<p>
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</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomIntellectual Property RightsAccessibilityInternet GovernanceResearchOpenness2012-07-30T11:25:44ZPageJuly 2012 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/july-2012-bulletin
<b>Welcome to the newsletter issue of July 2012 from the Centre for Internet & Society (CIS). The present issue features a constitutional analysis of the Information Technology (Intermediaries' Guidelines) Rules notified in April 2011, an analysis of the Indian Draft DNA Profiling Act and CIS statement on Exceptions and Limitations for Libraries and Archives made at WIPO.</b>
<h3><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs">Jobs</a></h3>
<p>CIS is seeking applications from interested candidates for the following posts:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/research-manager">Research Manager</a>: CIS is seeking an individual, full-time, for a period of 12 months, beginning from October 2012. The Research Manager is expected to contribute to conceptualising, managing and executing research projects in the field of Internet and Society, build knowledge networks of researchers towards collaborative and open knowledge production and dissemination, developing and executing the monitoring and evaluation processes for humanities and social sciences based research, supporting and managing academic, popular and hybrid publishing projects from existing and new research and initiate innovative and creative areas and methodologies of studying the Internet and its practices in India and the larger Global South, to develop key research clusters and networks. Send in your applications by September 5, 2012 to <a href="mailto:admin@cis-india.org">admin@cis-india.org</a>.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/vacancy-for-programme-director">Programme Director – Access to Knowledge</a>: CIS is seeking a Programme Director for its New Delhi office. The Programme Director will manage CIS’s Access to Knowledge programme which is funded by the Wikimedia Foundation, to support the growth of Wikipedia and its sister projects and to advance access to free knowledge in India. The Programme Director will partner with the large Wikimedia community in India to focus on Indic and English languages and will manage a team of four staff members. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/programme-officer-access-to-knowledge-and-openness">Programme Officer – Access to Knowledge and Openness</a>: CIS is seeking an individual with a strong background in policy research and advocacy to be part of its Openness and Access to Knowledge programmes. The candidates must have knowledge of Indian and international law on copyright, demonstrable research skills, public-speaking skills, open to travel and work independently. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/jobs/programme-officer-internet-governance">Programme Officer – Internet Governance</a>: CIS is seeking an individual with a strong background in legal research and policy work to be part of its internet governance (IG) programme. The candidates must have good knowledge of Indian and international law on freedom of expression and privacy, demonstrable research skills, have strong communication skills and be media savvy with the ability to convey complex legal issues clearly to a general audience, open to travel and work independently. </li>
</ul>
<p>To apply for the posts of Programme Director and Programme Officers, please send your resume to Sunil Abraham (<a href="mailto:sunil@cis-india.org">sunil@cis-india.org</a>) or Pranesh Prakash (<a href="mailto:pranesh@cis-india.org">pranesh@cis-india.org</a>) with three references.</p>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance">Internet Governance</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Internet Governance programme conducts research around the various social, technical, and political underpinnings of global and national Internet governance, and includes online privacy, freedom of speech, and Internet governance mechanisms and processes:</p>
<h3>Featured Research</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/constitutional-analysis-of-intermediaries-guidelines-rules">Constitutional Analysis of the Information Technology (Intermediaries' Guidelines) Rules, 2011</a> (by Ujwala Uppaluri): Ujwala Uppaluri provides a constitutional analysis of the Information Technology (Intermediaries' Guidelines) Rules notified in April 2011, and examines its compatibility with Articles 14, 19, 21 of the Constitution of India.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/indian-draft-dna-profiling-act">Overview and Concerns Regarding the Indian Draft DNA Profiling Act</a> (by GeneWatch UK & the Council for Responsible Genetics, US): The 2007 DNA Profiling Bill pending before the Parliament attempts to create an ambitious centralized DNA bank that would store DNA records of virtually anyone who comes within any proximity to the criminal justice system. The Bill contains provisions limiting access to and use of information contained in the database, and provides for the deletion of a person’s DNA profile upon their acquittal.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Columns</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/internet-censorship">Internet Censorship: Anonymous Can’t be Just Harmful Hackers</a> (Nishant Shah, FirstPost, July 13, 2012): If there was ever an interesting time for people concerned with freedom of speech and expression to live in, it is now, and it is definitely in India. It has been a series of battles the last couple of years, where a slightly out-dated government machinery has been trying to control and contain the burgeoning online spaces, only to be put in their place by the new-age tech-ninjas that have risen as the new heroes in our digital times.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/open-letter-to-hillary-clinton">Open letter to Hillary Clinton on Internet Freedom</a> (Sunil Abraham, Thinking Aloud, July 17, 2012): Sunil Abraham’s open letter to Hillary Clinton was based on a presentation made during a panel discussion at a Google sponsored conference titled Internet at Liberty 2012 in Washington DC on May 24, 2012. <i>The present article published in Thinking Aloud is an updated version of the blog entry published by CIS earlier this year</i>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Event Report</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/medical-privacy-conference-report">Privacy Matters — Medical Privacy</a> (Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration, Pune, June 30, 2012): Privacy India in partnership with the Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS, CIS, IDRC, and Society in Action Group with support from London-based Privacy International, held a public discussion on "Medical Privacy". Elonnai Hickok introduced the draft book Privacy in India: A Policy Guide that Privacy India had been compiling. The participants discussed medical privacy in India, the legal aspects of medical privacy, Supreme Court views on medical negligence, confidentiality and privacy, best practices on medical privacy in various health settings, etc.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Ongoing Event</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/iacs-summer-school-2012">The Asian Edge: 2012 Inter-Asia Cultural Studies Society Summer School</a>: The 2nd Biannual Inter Asia Cultural Studies (IACS) Summer School is being hosted in Bangalore, India by CIS and the Centre for the Study of Culture and Society. The IACS Summer School brings together South and East Asian experts from different disciplines as faculty for graduate and advanced research students to engage with key issues of larger social, cultural and political concerns in cultural studies in Asia. </li>
</ul>
<h3>Upcoming Event</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/role-of-us-tech-companies-in-govt-surveillance">Role of the US Tech Companies in Government Surveillance: A Lecture by Christopher Soghoian</a> (Centre for Internet and Society, 194, 2-C Cross, Domlur Stage II, Bangalore (Near Domlur Club and the TERI Complex)): Your internet, phone and web application providers are all, for the most part, in bed with US and other foreign government agencies. They all routinely disclose their customers' communications and other private data to law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Worse, firms like Google and Microsoft specifically log data in order to assist the government — How? — Find out — Christopher Soghoian will give a lecture on the role companies play in assisting government surveillance.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Events Organised</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/consumer-privacy-delhi">Privacy Matters — Consumer Privacy</a> (India International Centre, New Delhi, July 7, 2012): Privacy India, in partnership with the Centre for Internet & Society, International Development Research Centre, Society in Action Group and Privacy International, invite you to a public conference focused on discussing the challenges and concerns to consumer privacy in India.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/has-geek-presents-the-fifth-elephant">The Fifth Elephant</a> (NIMHANS Convention Centre, Bangalore, July 27 and 28, 2012): The event was organised by HasGeek and supported by CIS. The first day covered the technology track and talks from business and industry were held on the following day.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Events Participated</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/speak-easy">Speak Easy: Citizenship, Freedom of Expression and Online Governance</a> (American Centre, Kasturba Gandhi Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi, July 31, 2012): Chinmayi Arun, a Fellow at CIS spoke at this event organised by the YP Foundation, Youth Ki Awaaz, Change.Org and RTI Anonymous.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/session-m4-international-public-policy-and-internet-governance-issues-pertaining-to-the-internet">Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum 2012</a> (Aoyama Campus, Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo, July 20, 2012). Sunil Abraham was a speaker in the session on international public policy and internet governance issues pertaining to the internet. The event was organised by APrIGF.Asia. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/fifth-meeting-of-two-sub-groups-on-privacy">Fifth Meeting of the two Sub-Groups on Privacy Issues under the Chairmanship of Justice AP Shah</a> (New Delhi, July 22, 2012): Sunil Abraham participated in this meeting held under the Chairmanship of Justice A.P. Shah, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/fourth-meeting-of-sub-groups-on-privacy-issues">Fourth Meeting of the two Sub-Groups on Privacy Issues under the Chairmanship of Justice AP Shah</a> (Committee Room No. 228, Yojana Bhawan, Planning Commission, New Delhi, July 9, 2012): Sunil Abraham participated in the fourth meeting on privacy issues under the Chairmanship of Justice A.P. Shah, former Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.</li>
</ul>
<h3>News & Media Coverage</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/a-net-of-hatred">A Net of Hatred</a> (Samar Khurshid, Hindustan Times, July 14, 2012): “The problem is...that internet conversations become extreme. Liberals don’t get embroiled in heated arguments while fundamentalists, dedicated to extreme ideologies, tend to win out." Web censorship...is in vain as the net is too vast to control.”— Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/post-website-attack">Post-website attack, cops hot on pursuit of Anonymous hackers</a> (The Times of India, July 11, 2012): “Anonymous consists of a large bunch of activists who gained some credibility in India after they organised offline protests. But this operation doesn't serve any purpose and brings down their credibility as details of those who filed complaints have been revealed.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/kids-on-facebook">The kids are all on Facebook</a> (Shikha Kumar, Daily News & Analysis, July 8, 2012): “Children’s interaction online should always be under parental supervision. Censorship and control is not the responsibility of the government, but of parents.” — Sunil Abraham.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/freedom-debate-takes-a-new-course">Freedom debate takes a new course</a> (Deepa Kurup, The Hindu, July 1, 2012): “Under Indian copyright law, ISPs cannot be liable for copyright infringement committed by their users. So while it is good that the court clarified that its order was limited in its scope, it is possible to read even this as going far beyond that which is allowed under the law.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k">Access to Knowledge</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The Access to Knowledge programme addresses the harms caused to consumers, developing countries, human rights, and creativity/innovation from excessive regimes of copyright, patents, and other such monopolistic rights over knowledge:</p>
<h3>WIPO</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS participated at the 24<sup>th</sup> session of the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyrights and Related Rights held in Geneva from July 16 to 25, 2012. The outcomes are listed below:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/india-opening-statement-sccr24-tvi">India's Opening Statement on the Treaty for the Visually Impaired at SCCR 24</a>: The opening statement of the Indian delegation was delivered by G.R. Raghavender on July 19, 2012. The statement called upon all countries to conclude textual work on the treaty and call for a Diplomatic Conference to finalize it.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/cis-statement-sccr24-treaty-visually-impaired">CIS's Statement on the Treaty for the Visually Impaired</a>: Pranesh Prakash read out CIS statement on July 20, 2012.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/cis-statement-sccr24-broadcast-treaty">CIS's Statement on the WIPO Broadcast Treaty</a>: Pranesh Prakash read out CIS statement specifically on the Chair's Non Paper on the Protection of Broadcasters which was released on July 23, 2012.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/cis-statement-sccr24-libraries-archives">CIS's Statement on Exceptions & Limitations for Libraries and Archives</a>: Pranesh Prakash delivered the statement on the issue of exceptions and limitations for libraries and archives on July 25, 2012.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/wipo-sccr24-discussions-transcripts">Transcripts of Discussions at WIPO</a>: The proceedings were live streamed. Copies of the unedited transcripts are hosted for archival purposes.</li>
</ul>
<h3>International Press Coverage</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/us-support-sought-for-treaty-to-allow-blind-people-access-to-copyrighted">U.S. support sought for treaty to allow blind people access to copyrighted works</a> (Rama Lakshmi, Washington Post, July 24, 2012): “The vast majority of visually disabled people live in poor, developing countries where very little money is spent on converting books into accessible formats, while they are much more readily available elsewhere...The treaty would end the book famine that they currently face.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/us-and-eu-blocking-treaty">US and EU blocking treaty to give blind people access to books</a> (Paige McClanahan, The Guardian, July 30, 2012): “We in developing countries have found our voice and we are not going to back down. When people are demanding their basic rights, no power in the world is strong enough to stop them getting what they want.”— Rahul Cherian.</li>
</ul>
<h3>National Press Coverage</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/eu-stalls-treaty-talks-to-allow-copyright-waiver-for-print-disabilities">EU stalls treaty talks to allow copyright waiver for print disabilities</a> (The Hindu, Priscilla Jebaraj, July 25, 2012): “[The treaty] would allow organisations working for the blind to import and export accessible works without seeking the copyright holder's permission, since very little money is spent in developing countries on converting books into accessible formats, while they are much more readily available elsewhere.” — Pranesh Prakash.</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility">Accessibility</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">India has an estimated 70 million disabled persons who are unable to read printed materials due to some form of physical, sensory, cognitive or other disability. The disabled need accessible content, devices and interfaces facilitated via copyright law and electronic accessibility policies:</p>
<p><b>Blog Entry</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/accessibility-audit-of-govt-websites">Accessibility of Government Websites in India — Test Results</a> </li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness">Openness</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The 'Openness' programme critically examines alternatives to existing regimes of intellectual property rights, and transparency and accountability. Under this programme, we study Open Government Data, Open Access to Scholarly Literature, Open Access to Law, Open Content, Open Standards, and Free/Libre/Open Source Software:</p>
<p><b>Blog Entries</b></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/unpacking-openness">Unpacking Openness: From Seemingly Transparent to Definitely Opaque</a>: Nishant Shah was in Netherlands recently and as part of his trip had given a public lecture to an audience at Kennisland. One of the respondents wrote a small write-up of the talk. This was originally <a href="http://www.kennisland.nl/filter/opinies/unpacking-openness-from-seemingly-transparent-to-definitely-opaqu">published</a> on the Kennisland website on July 25, 2012.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/blog/2012-conference-on-trends-in-knowledge-information-dynamics">2012 Conference on Trends in Knowledge Information Dynamics</a> (by Rebecca Schild): The 2012 Conference on Trends in Knowledge Information Dynamics convened a panel on Open Access. There was consensus amongst the panelist that the “big question” facing the open access movement no longer remains "if" or "why" open access, but rather "how" open access. The panel proved instructive for shifting the discussion away from ideology towards concrete questions facing the open access agenda and its implementation.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/openness/open-government-data-commitments-best-practices">Open Government Data</a> (by Pranesh Prakash): Pranesh Prakash provides an analysis of the chapter that CIS published in this report with Transparency & Accountability Initiative.</li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h3 style="text-align: left; ">Grant Award</h3>
<hr />
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/wikimedia-foundation-awards-grant-to-cis">Wikimedia Foundation awards grant to Centre for Internet and Society to expand Access to Knowledge in India</a>: Wikimedia Foundation has approved a grant to the Centre for Internet and Society to expand their Access to Knowledge program in India. This information was <a href="http://blog.wikimedia.org/2012/08/01/wikimedia-foundation-awards-grant-to-centre-for-internet-and-society-to-expand-access-to-knowledge-in-india/">published</a> by Barry Newstead, Chief Global Development Officer on the Wikimedia Foundation website on August 1, 2012.</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives">Digital Natives</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Digital Natives with a Cause? examines the changing landscape of social change and political participation in light of the role that young people play through digital and Internet technologies, in emerging information societies. Consolidating knowledge from Asia, Africa and Latin America, it builds a global network of knowledge partners who critically engage with discourse on youth, technology and social change, and look at alternative practices and ideas in the Global South:</p>
<h3>Book Review</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/young-people-technology-new-literacies">Deconstructing Digital Natives: Young People, Technology and the New Literacies</a>: Nishant Shah was invited to do a book review of a new anthology 'Deconstructing Digital Natives', edited by Michael Thomas. The review was published in Routledge's Journal of Children and Media on July 18, 2012.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Digital Natives Newsletter</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/citizen-activism-the-past-decade">Citizen Activism the Past Decade</a>: The deadline for contribution to the Digital Natives newsletter expires on August 15. Nilofar Ansher gives a list of topics that contributors can explore in this blog entry.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Columns</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/across-borders">Across Borders</a> (Nishant Shah, Indian Express, July 5, 2012): “Digital Natives are not only a mobile-wielding generation, but also a mobile generation. They are fluid, not necessarily tied to the geographies of their origin, and often imagine themselves, as travelling across different networks and systems, like the information traffic on the internet. This dislocation of the fixity of where we are from and who we are is one of the most exciting results of the digital turn.”</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/revisiting-techno-euphoria">Revisiting Techno-euphoria</a> (Nishant Shah, DML Central, July 5, 2012): “The gadgets and tools we use are, actually, only material manifestations of the digital — which operates at the level of a paradigm or a context, through which we are slowly reshaping the material, social, and cultural notions of who we are and how we connect to the world around us.”</li>
</ul>
<h3>Event Participated</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/istr-conference">10th International ISTR Conference</a> (Universita Degli Studi Di Siena, Italy, July 10 – 13, 2012): Nishant Shah was a panelist in the session, "Theoretical Grounding of Civic Driven Change". He gave a public lecture on Beyond Normative Citizenships: Exploring the ‘New’ in Digital Activism.</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom">Telecom</a></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">While the potential for growth and returns exist for telecommunications in India, a range of issues need to be addressed. One aspect is more extensive rural coverage and the other is a countrywide access to broadband which is low. Both require effective and efficient use of networks and resources, including spectrum:</p>
<h3>Building Knowledge and Capacity around Telecommunication Policy in India</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Ford Foundation has given a grant of USD 200,000 to CIS to build expertise in the area of telecommunications in India. The following are the latest outputs:</p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/fixed-line-telephones" class="external-link">Fixed Line Telephones</a> (by Jürgen Kock): This module discusses the features and the various stages of the development of fixed line telephones, its early history, the basic principle of a fixed line telephone system, plain old telephone service, digital telephones, cordless phones to today's features of fixed line telephones.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/video-communication" class="external-link">Different Forms of Video Communication</a> (by Tina Mani): In this module, Tina Mani takes us through some of the common forms of video communication such as video calling, video conferencing, telepresence and video sharing.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/broadband-policy-2004" class="external-link">Broadband Policy, 2004</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh): In this module, Snehashish Ghosh tells us that the Policy was laid down by the Government of India in order to realize the potential of broadband services. It aimed at enhancing the quality of life by implementation of tele-education, tele-medicine, e-governance, entertainment, etc. </li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/cable-television-networks-regulation-act" class="external-link">Cable Television Networks Regulation Act, 1955</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh): In this module, Snehashish examines the purpose of the legislation, the persons affected by it, the administrative bodies which come under the Act, the penalties (including the consequences in case of non-compliance), appeal process and the debates surrounding the legislation.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/telecom-knowledge-repository/indian-wireless-telegraphy-act" class="external-link">The Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933</a> (by Snehashish Ghosh): In this module, Snehashish Ghosh throws light on the main objective of the Act — that of regulating the possession of wireless telegraphy apparatus.</li>
</ul>
<h3>RTI Application</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/dot-response-to-rti-on-use-of-dpi-technology-by-isps">Use of DPI Technology by ISPs — Response by the Department of Telecommunications</a> : Smiti Mujumdar on behalf of CIS filed requests under the Right to Information with the Department of Telecommunications, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, BSNL and MTNL, asking a number of questions related to the use of Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) technology by Internet Service Providers (ISP) in India and corresponding regulations. A scanned version of the response from the Department of Telecommunications is <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/use-of-dpi-technology-by-isps.pdf">hosted online</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Column in Business Standard</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/telecom/decision-analysis">Decision Analysis for Interest Rates</a> (Shyam Ponappa, Business Standard, July 5, 2012): The discipline of systematic evaluation through applying process-flow and decision analysis — in this example, of financial logic — can help make reasoned, practical decisions, whether for interest rates, or for resolving issues in power supply, or in telecommunications, spectrum and broadband. </li>
</ul>
<hr />
<h2 style="text-align: justify; ">About CIS</h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS was registered as a society in Bangalore in 2008. As an independent, non-profit research organisation, it runs different policy research programmes such as Accessibility, Access to Knowledge, Openness, Internet Governance, and Telecom. Over the last four years our policy research programmes have resulted in outputs such as the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/advocacy/accessibility/blog/e-accessibility-handbook">e-Accessibility Policy Handbook for Persons with Disabilities</a> with ITU and G3ict, and <span><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/front-page/blog/dnbook">Digital Alternatives with a Cause?</a></span>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/front-page/blog/position-papers">Thinkathon Position Papers</a> and the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/digital-natives/front-page/blog/digital-natives-with-a-cause-a-report">Digital Natives with a Cause? Report</a> with Hivos. With the Government of India we have done policy research for Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, etc., on <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/cis-analysis-july2011-treaty-print-disabilities">WIPO Treaties</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/a2k/blog/analysis-copyright-amendment-bill-2012">Copyright Bill</a>, <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/internet-governance/front-page/blog/cis-feedback-to-nia-bill">NIA Bill</a>, etc.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is an accredited NGO at WIPO and has given policy briefs to delegations from various countries, our Programme Manager, Nirmita Narasimhan won the <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/accessibility/blog/national-award">National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities</a> from the Government of India and also received the <span><a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/news/nirmita-nivh-award">NIVH Excellence Award</a></span>.</p>
<p><b>Follow us elsewhere</b></p>
<ul>
<li>Get short, timely messages from us on Twitter</li>
<li>Join the CIS group on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/groups/28535315687/">Facebook</a></li>
<li>Visit us at <a href="http://editors.cis-india.org/">http://cis-india.org</a></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><i>CIS is grateful to its donors, Ford Foundation, Privacy International, UK, Hans Foundation and the Kusuma Trust which was founded by Anurag Dikshit and Soma Pujari, philanthropists of Indian origin, for its core funding and support for most of its projects.</i></p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/july-2012-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/july-2012-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceOpenness2012-10-09T11:46:15ZPageDecember 2010 Bulletin
http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/december-2010-bulletin
<b>Greetings from the Centre for Internet and Society! It gives us immense pleasure to present regular updates on the progress of our research on the mainstream Internet media. In this issue of we bring our latest project updates, news and media coverage:</b>
<h2><b>Researchers@Work</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">RAW is a multidisciplinary research initiative. CIS believes that in order to understand the contemporary concerns in the field of Internet and society, it is necessary to produce local and contextual accounts of the interaction between the Internet and socio-cultural and geo-political structures. To build original research knowledge base, the RAW programme has been collaborating with different organisations and individuals to focus on its three year thematic of Histories of the Internets in India. Monographs arising from these projects are now online for public review:</p>
<p><b>Pornography & the Law</b><br />This monograph attempts to unravel the relations between pornography, technology and the law in the shifting context of the contemporary. Deadline for review expires on 15 Jan 2011.<a href="http://bit.ly/f1sQsi"><br />http://bit.ly/f1sQsi</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify; "><b>Re:wiring Bodies<br /></b>Dr. Asha Achutan historicises the attitudes, imaginations and policies that have shaped the Science-Technology debates in India, to particularly address the ways in which emergence of Internet Technologies have shaped notions of gender and body in India. Deadline for review expires on 15 Jan 2011.<a href="http://bit.ly/gYCP1C"><br />http://bit.ly/gYCP1C</a></p>
<p><b>The Leap of Rhodes or, How India Dealt with the Last Mile Problem — An Inquiry into Technology and Governance</b><br />The project has fed into many different activities in teaching, in examining processes of governance and in looking at user behaviour. The deadline for peer review expires on 15 Jan 2011.<a href="http://bit.ly/iiYJp1"><br />http://bit.ly/iiYJp1</a></p>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<p><b>Internet, Society and Space in Indian Cities</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/h3lWzS">From the Stock Market to Neighbourhood Mohalla</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/hU6GTL">Transforming Urbanscapes: ATM in cities</a></li>
</ul>
<p><b>Queer Histories of the Internet</b></p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/hqrjqc">A Detour: The Internet and Forms of Narration: A Short Note</a></li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h2><b>Digital Natives</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS has interest in developing Digital Identities as a core research area and looks at practices, policies and scholarships in the field to explore relationships between Internet, technology and identity.</p>
<h3>Columns on Digital Natives</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">A fortnightly column on ‘Digital Natives’ authored by Nishant Shah is featured in the Sunday Eye, the national edition of Indian Express, Delhi, from 19 September 2010 onwards. The following articles were published in the Indian Express recently:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/ig08Dr">Make a Wish</a> [published on 19 December 2010]</li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/hRHUYu">Play Station</a> [published on 5 December 2010]</li>
</ul>
<h3>Workshop</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The third and final workshop in the Digital Natives with a Cause? research project will take place in Santiago, Chile, from the 8 to 10 February. Open Call and FAQs for the workshop are online:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/emKslL">Digital Natives with a Cause? Workshop in Santiago – An Open Call</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eCu2it">Digital Natives with a Cause? Workshop in Santiago – Some FAQs</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Publication</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Position papers from the Thinkathon conference held at Hague from 6 to 8 December have been published:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eVYR2h">Digital Natives with a Cause? Thinkathon: Position Papers</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Accessibility</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Estimates of the percentage of the world's population that is disabled vary considerably. But what is certain is that if we count functional disability, then a large proportion of the world's population is disabled in one way or another. At CIS we work to ensure that the digital technologies, which empower disabled people and provide them with independence, are allowed to do so in practice and by the law. To this end, we support web accessibility guidelines, and change in copyright laws that currently disempower the persons with disabilities.</p>
<h3><b>National Award</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Nirmita Narasimhan got a National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities from the Government of India on 3 December 2010. The award was presented by Smt. Pratibha Patil, President of India under the Role Model category. The event was telecast live on Doordarshan.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/fKG9MH">Nirmita Narasimhan wins National Award</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Conference Report</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">An international conference on Enabling Access to Education through ICT was held in New Delhi from 27 to 29 October 2010. The full report of the conference is published online:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eDHXyq">Enabling Access to Education through ICT - Conference Report</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://goo.gl/ddMBN">Accessibility at CIS – Looking back at 2010</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/igUi8H">G3ict-GW Global Policy Forum: "ICT Accessibility: A New Frontier for Disability Rights"</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Intellectual Property</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Copyright, patents and trademarks are the most important components on the Internet. CIS believes that access to knowledge and culture is essential as it promotes creativity and innovation and bridges the gaps between the developed and developing world positively. Hence, the campaigns for an international treaty on copyright exceptions for print-impaired, advocating against PUPFIP Bill, calls for the WIPO Broadcast Treaty to be restricted to broadcast, questioning the demonization of 'pirates', and supporting endeavours that explore and question the current copyright regime. Our latest endeavour has resulted into these:</p>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://bit.ly/glBYTS">Problems Remain with Standing Committee's Report on Copyright Amendments</a></li>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://bit.ly/hq9OZO">CIS Submission on Draft Patent Manual 2010</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Openness</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS believes that innovation and creativity should be fostered through openness and collaboration and is committed towards promotion of open standards, open access, and free/libre/open source software, its latest involvement have yielded these results:</p>
<h3>Reports</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/eKUKIY">Call for Comments for Report on the Online Video Environment in India</a></li>
<li><a href="http://goo.gl/wr8Td">Call for Comments for Report on Open Government Data in India</a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Event</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/hQAUkg">Wikipedia Meetup in Bangalore, This time in TERI</a></li>
</ul>
<h3><b>Privacy</b></h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">CIS is doing a couple of projects, one Privacy in Asia which is supported by Privacy International, UK and the other on Privacy and Identity which is funded by Ford Foundation and managed by the Centre for Study of Culture and Society. The project is a research inquiry into the history of privacy in India and how it shapes the contemporary debates around technology mediated identity projects like <i>Aadhar</i>.</p>
<h3>New Blog Entries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/hYUmVK">The Privacy Rights of Whistleblowers</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/hcP9lI">UID & Privacy - A Call for Papers</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/esjtL7">Should Ratan Tata be Afforded the Right to Privacy?</a></li>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/h0Vdz3">DSCI Information Security Summit 2010 – A Report</a></li>
</ul>
<h2><b>Telecom</b></h2>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">The growth in telecommunications in India has been impressive. While the potential for growth and returns exist, a range of issues need to be addressed for this potential to be realized. One aspect is more extensive rural coverage and the second aspect is a countrywide access to broadband which is low at about eight million subscriptions. Both require effective and efficient use of networks and resources, including spectrum. It is imperative to resolve these issues in the common interest of users and service providers. CIS campaigns to facilitate this.</p>
<h3>Articles by Shyam Ponappa</h3>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Shyam Ponappa is a Distinguished Fellow at CIS. He writes regularly on Telecom issues in the Business Standard and these articles are mirrored on the CIS website as well.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/fNADQo">Take 'Model T' for Telecom</a></li>
</ul>
<p><b> </b></p>
<h2><b>News & Media Coverage</b></h2>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://bit.ly/h8TJwF">An online community platform for people with different needs</a> (Sify News, 12 December 2010)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/fF3Y6V">Self-regulation in media and society meet to gain legal perspectives</a> (Indiantelevision.com, 13 December 2010)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/e3gZGz">This Is All India Radia</a> (Outlook, 6 December 2010)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/gYrF7h">'Pakistan' hackers target India's top police agency</a> (Google News, 4 December 2010)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/gBMFzY">Intellectual Property Rights as seen in a graphic novel</a> (TimeOut Bengaluru, 1 December 2010)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/fa4qcy">The Niira Radia Tapes: Scrutinizing the Snoopers</a> (The Wall Street Journal, 29 November 2010)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/gWEkKw">Mobile banking set to get a boost from IMPS</a> (The Hindu, 28 November 2010)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://bit.ly/gjyNbF">UID elicits mixed response</a> (Deccan Herald, 23 November 2010)</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify; "><a href="http://bit.ly/hcrAd2">Time to bury e-mail?</a> (DNA, 21 November 2010)</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
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</ul>
<p style="text-align: justify; ">Looking forward to hearing from you. Please feel free to write to us for any queries or details required. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please do write to us and we will unsubscribe your mail ID from the mailing list.</p>
<p>
For more details visit <a href='http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/december-2010-bulletin'>http://editors.cis-india.org/about/newsletters/december-2010-bulletin</a>
</p>
No publisherpraskrishnaAccess to KnowledgeDigital NativesTelecomAccessibilityInternet GovernanceCISRAWOpenness2012-08-07T11:28:02ZPage