Peru approves net neutrality law

Peru has become the third country in South America to approve net neutrality regulation.

Telecom regulator Osiptel said that after a year of public debate involving experts, academics and operators, the watchdog had decided to introduce regulation that prevents operators from arbitrarily blocking or limiting access to applications, domain names and IP addresses, while favoring others.

The regulation will come into force from January 2, according to a notice in the official gazette El Peruano.

In 2010, Chile became the first country in the world to approve a net neutrality law.

Preserving net neutrality was also a key component of Brazil's internet bill of rights, known as Marco Civil, which was approved in 2014. That framework, however, still lacks specifics on how net neutrality is protected.

In 2015, US President Barack Obama approved net neutrality for the US.

Eastern Caribbean's telecom authority, Ectel, has generated controversy by announing it is planning to implement new telecommunications regulation that would include net neutrality laws.

In 2015, Mexico said it was drafting a bill for a net neutrality law.