Broadband network access is a technology that has already had far-reaching effects, but is likely to be even more significant for consumers into the future as it becomes ubiquitous. Broadband is indeed becoming not simply a communications tool, but a prerequisite for consumers’ full participation in civic and cultural life.
Holding broadband service providers to account is a new project of Consumers International (CI) to empower consumer organisations around the world to demand more equitable and accessible broadband service offerings, respecting consumers’ rights and broader human rights, as a necessary condition of achieving a socially-inclusive information society.
Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) is partnering with CI for the campaign in India.
Phases of the project: The project consists of two main phases:
First Phase – A research and capacity-building phase involving about 20 CI members, which will involve country level research and a global meeting, to assist CI to develop an advocacy resource manual on broadband issues that is attuned to members’ needs. This will last from mid-2011 to early 2012.
Second Phase – An advocacy and campaigning phase, which will be conducted on a pilot basis with about six CI members, employing the resource manual in their countries, and follow-on global advocacy work by CI on issues of concern identified during pilot testing. This will last from mid-2012 to early 2013.
- Utilise surveys, interviews and/or secondary research to determine which issues, services, networks or providers are most problematic for broadband users in their country.
- Collect data on laws, regulations, codes and policies bearing on the target issues, and the levels of compliance with these.
- Participate in a roundtable meeting on broadband and consumer protection to be held in early 2012 to report and validate the initial findings.
If you are a broadband consumer and want to contribute in improving the broadband service, please take out your 10 minutes to fill the online consumer survey questionnaire by clicking the given below link. http://A2Knetwork.org/surveys/index.php?sid=65979&65979X5X12=A13 or http://ci.me.my/v
If you are not comfortable with online survey, you can also fill and send to us the interviews questionnaire is available by downloading from the link given below:
http://www.cuts-international.org/CART/pdf/Interview_Questionnaire-CI_broadband_campaign.pdf
For more information about the project, please contact:
George Cheriyan or Amarjeet Singh
CUTS Centre for Consumer Action, Research & Training (CUTS CART)
277, Sindhi Colony, Bhaskar Marg, Bani Park
Jaipur 302 016, India
Ph: 91. 141. 5133259; 91.141.2282 062, 2282 823/2282 482
Fax: 91.141.4015 395
Email: gc@cuts.org; as7@cuts.org; cart@cuts.org
Web: www.cuts-international.org; www.cuts-international.org/cart