Zero-rating

Portuguese company MEO gives zero-rated access to their own service "MEO cloud". Even though it does not provide unlimited mobile data, it offers packages to give zero-rated access to other applications and services. Contrary to popular belief it does not prevent the usage of said applications while using the regular unused data, but instead offers packages where applications and services within said package are not counted towards the data consumed.

Zero-rating is the practice of providing Internet access without financial cost under certain conditions, such as by permitting access to only certain websites or by subsidizing the service with advertising or by exempting certain websites from the data allowance.[1][2]

Commentators discussing zero-rating present it often in the context of net neutrality.[2] While most sources report that use of zero-rating is contrary to the principle of net neutrality, there are mixed opinions among advocates of net neutrality about the extent to which people can benefit from zero-rating programs while retaining net neutrality protections.[2] Supporters of zero-rating argue that it enables consumers to make choices to access more data and leads to more people using online services, but critics believe zero-rating exploits the poor, creates opportunities for censorship, and disrupts the free market.[2]

  1. ^ "Jan Krämer, Martin Peitz: A fresh look at zero rating" (PDF). www.cerre.eu. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  2. ^ a b c d Bates, Samantha; Bavitz, Christopher; Hessekiel, Kira (5 October 2017). "Zero Rating & Internet Adoption". cyber.harvard.edu. Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society.