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In this blogpost, we aim to highlight the access to internet problems being faced by the citizens of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and how this is affecting them particularly due to the pandemic. 1/17

internetfreedom.in/for-the-people…
Internet and telecommunication services in the A&N Islands are presently dependent on satellite connectivity and have access to limited bandwidth. This has led to unreliable internet connectivity as well as extremely high tariffs like 54,902 INR. 2/17

Even when there is internet connectivity, it is slow at best with the combined bandwidth availability for Andaman & Nicobar Islands being only 3.2 GBps. 3/17
In a letter to @rsprasad, the State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Andaman, Shri Ajoy Bairagi listed down the problems which have arisen as a result of bad internet connectivity. 4/17

On January 9, 2020, @rsprasad inaugurated the cable-laying work of the Chennai and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (CANI) Submarine Cable Systems Project which was expected to be completed by June, 2020. 5/17

pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…
A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the seabed between land-based stations to transmit telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean and sea. 6/17

economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telec…
The cables are of four-fibre pairs, with the capacity to transfer 6.4 tera-bytes of data per second by each fibre-pair. At the initial stage of the project itself, the islands are supposed to get a data speed of 400-GBps which is nearly 100 times of the existing capacity. 7/17
However, commission of this project has been delayed. The reason provided for the delay is the cyclone Amphan and the further delay is said to be due to Covid lockdown with the project now being delayed a further six months. 8/17

andamanchronicle.net/index.php/1887…
The President of the A&N Bar Association, Shri Mohammed Tabraiz, has filed a Writ Petition before the Calcutta HC, Circuit Bench at Port Blair for the swift operationalisation of the CANI Project. The next date of hearing is on June 11, 2020. 9/17

andamanchronicle.net/index.php/1896…
In Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India it was held that the internet is a medium to exercise fundamental rights provided by the Constitution. However, does the Government have a positive obligation to provide access to the internet? 10/17

internetfreedom.in/scs-judgement-…
The National Digital Communications Policy (NDCP), 2018 seeks to unlock the transformative power of digital communications networks - to achieve the goal of digital empowerment and improved well-being of the people of India. 11/17

dot.gov.in/sites/default/…
This policy has three missions, the first is “Connect India: Creating Robust Digital Communications Infrastructure”. The aim is to promote Broadband for All as a tool for socio-economic development, while ensuring service quality and environmental sustainability. 12/17
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a speech given on December 30, 2018 in Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar Islands has said that, “The government is working to ensure that no corner of the country and its people is deprived of development”. 13/17

ndtv.com/india-news/pm-…
However, development in modern times is impossible without access to high-speed internet at reasonable prices. The people of Andaman & Nicobar Islands are paying tariffs much higher than the rest of the country and still do not have continued access to the internet. 14/17
We recommend:
✅The CANI project be completed acc to decided timelines
✅Any regulatory hurdles in the implementation of the CANI project be resolved by central and state govts
✅Subsidies be provided in the meantime to the people of A&N Islands for internet connectivity
15/17
One avenue through which accountability can be demanded from these government authorities is through the RTIs. If you want IFF to file an RTI request for you please reach out to our Transparency and RTI Fellow Anushka Jain via email at anushka@internetfreedom.in.
16/17
Help IFF retain its sustainability and transparency by helping us reach our goal of 50 new member sign-ups this month. We have 17 new member sign-ups so far. Support us by donating or becoming a member today! 17/17

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More from @internetfreedom see all

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Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF)
@internetfreedom
On May 11 @GOI_MeitY published the Aarogya Setu data access and sharing protocol, signed by @SecretaryMEITY. IFF has done a clause by clause analysis of the Protocol and found many shortcomings.
1/12

internetfreedom.in/we-studied-the…
A generous description is that it does not satisfy thresholds of legality, necessity and proportionality. More realistic is that without intervention the framework does little to improve privacy and justifies the Government’s otherwise unconstitutional practices.
2/12
The Protocol shouldn't be bandied about like it is a legislation which holds @SetuAarogya accountable. @SecretaryMEITY has said there are no plans to create an underlying legislation since the “priority at present is to deal with the epidemic itself”
3/12

business-standard.com/article/econom…
Read 12 tweets
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Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF)
@internetfreedom
IFF has filed multiple RTIs with the @MoHFW_INDIA seeking information regarding the legislative framework, guidelines and governmental committees governing the use of the @SetuAarogya App, especially the safeguards in place to ensure user data protection and privacy.
(1/6)
@MoHFW_INDIA has replied to the RTI stating that they do not hold any such information and RTI request is being transferred to the National Informatics Centre. An RTI filed with the @GoI_MeitY received a similar response.
(2/6)
Transfer of these RTIs by the @MoHFW_INDIA indicates that they have minimal involvement with @SetuAarogya which is primarily being helmed by NIC.
(3/6)
Read 6 tweets
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Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF)
@internetfreedom
In Part 2 of our explainer series on key themes of IFF’s Working Paper on COVID-19, tech and informational privacy, we breakdown the paper’s analysis of @Apple and @Google ’s announced partnership on contact tracing. 1/12

internetfreedom.in/part-2-of-work…
Unlike the @SetuAarogya app this project will establish contact between two phones/devices using Bluetooth only (no GPS). It only intends to work with only public health authorities and not law enforcement authorities which is consistent with other govt positions. 2/12
The partnership a soft declaration that the systems will be disabled after the COVID-19 pandemic is over although concerns of a permanent system of data analysis owned, operated and managed by private sector actors subsist.

3/12
Read 12 tweets

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