The tug of war between telecom companies and OTT platforms is far from over. Telecom service providers, the ones who give us mobile data and internet, are now asking the government to make OTT platforms pay a “fair share” fee. Their argument is simple: since these apps use a massive amount of data and make big money from it, they should also contribute to maintaining the networks that carry their content.
On the surface, this might sound fair.
But there’s an important angle to remember—OTT platforms don’t just use telecom networks; they’re the very reason most of us use them. Why do we recharge expensive data plans every month? To binge-watch shows, make video calls, and stay connected on messaging apps. Without OTT platforms, telecom networks would be like empty highways with no traffic.
That said, the existence of OTT platforms is also deeply dependent on telecom services. Without widespread internet access, OTTs wouldn’t have taken off the way they did. So, the demand from telecom service providers isn’t entirely unreasonable either.
The question is—how do we strike a balance between the pipes and the platforms? That’s what continues to fuel the ongoing debate.