Entanet voices concerns over Zuckerberg’s Internet.org initiative and net neutrality

April 29, 2015

Telford, 29 April 2015 – Wholesale connectivity provider, Entanet, has voiced its disquiet over moves by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, to develop an app providing end users with access to selected content on the Internet within some of the world’s poorest countries.

While applauding the core objectives behind the project, Entanet is concerned that the current format of the scheme is directly opposed to the fundamental principles of net neutrality, under which all content is treated equally and is openly available for everyone to access.

In an article on its Opinion blog (http://www.enta.net/opinion/), Neil Watson, Head of Service at Entanet, says that, as the cost of delivering content via the Internet.org scheme is paid for by the content provider, rather than the end user, there is a real danger that it will be used for commercial gain or to influence people unfairly. “The Internet.org project will only provide free access to content from partners that are involved in the project and are therefore paying for access to their own service – which is the fundamental opposite of net neutrality”, Watson states.

Zuckerberg has already responded to criticism of the scheme, arguing that Internet.org is open to any content provider and that some access is better than no access at all. Entanet however, shares the concerns of many across the global Internet community that any control over content invites potential for abuse. Watson says: “What may be a useful short-term solution could have serious repercussions for a longer term Internet policy that could end up multi-tiered and favouring particular content and providers. Whilst we applaud the core objectives behind this project, the potential for harm in its current format is concerning.”

The company is calling on its partners and interested parties to also enter the debate.

To read the full article, go to http://www.enta.net/opinion/.

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About Entanet
Entanet is a leading wholesale voice and data communications provider and operates via a network of wholesale and resale channel partners. It was founded in 1996 by Taiwanese entrepreneur Jason Tsai and employs over 80 staff at its offices in Telford, Shropshire.

In February 2014, mid-market equity investor Mobeus Equity Partners made an initial £6 million investment to support a £14 million management buyout. Jason Tsai remains a significant shareholder.

Entanet offers an extensive portfolio of connectivity services, including wholesale and packaged broadband, leased lines, EFM, IP VPNs, hosting and co-location, VoIP and traditional telecoms. The company operates its own fully-resilient nationwide next generation network which enables it and its partners to provide up to 10Gbps capacity to customers right across the UK. In addition, it has further connectivity into Amsterdam and Frankfurt and over 900 peering relationships across Europe.

The quality of Entanet’s services and its commitment to partners has been widely recognised. The company was recently named Best Channel ISP in the 2013 Comms National Awards and as the winner in the 2013 ISPA Awards for Best Business Fixed Broadband. In the Comms National Awards 2012 it was awarded Best Channel Wholesale Service Provider. It also received the ISPA award for Best Internet Telephony in 2011 and was short-listed in the Specialist Services Vendor of the Year category in the CRN Channel Awards – an accolade it has won twice in previous years. The company has also been listed on a number of occasions in the Sunday Times Tech Track 100, Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA and other listings of fast-growing, privately-held UK companies.

For more information contact:
Darren Farnden, Head of Marketing
Entanet International Ltd
Tel: 0333 101 0000