In Chile, net neutrality is regulated by the Law Nº 20.453, known as the Chilean net neutrality law, issued on August 18, 2010, becoming the first country in the world to enact a law referred to the net neutrality principle.
The law modified the General Law of Telecommunications, adding three articles —24 H, 24 I and 24 J— that establish rights for the Internet users and obligations for Internet service providers, in addition to give powers to enforce this law to the Telecommunications Undersecretary (Subtel).
History
The law was generated in a parliamentary motion dated on March 20, 2007 —Bulletin N° 4915-19— presented by the deputies Gonzalo Arenas, Marcelo Díaz, Enrique Estay, Alejandro García-Huidobro, Patricio Hales, Javier Hernández, Tucapel Jiménez, José Antonio Kast, Carlos Recondo and Felipe Ward. The proposal pretended to add three articles to the Law Nº 19.496 about consumer protection. A report of the Commission on Sciences and Technology of the Chamber of Deputies, with comments by the Telecommunications Undersecretary Pablo Bello and representatives of NGOs, recommended to Congress to include the articles in the General Law of Telecommunications.
The bill was approved by deputies by 66 votes, 0 votes against and 2 abstentions, on October 11, 2007. On November 11 it was sent to the Senate, being amended by the Commission on Transports and Telecommunications, after hearing representatives of telecommunications companies, on April 3, 2008. The Senate approved the modified bill on April 30 by 30 votes in favour and one abstention.
In June 2008, the bill received indications by president Michelle Bachelet, and was revised by the Commission on Economy and Commission on Transports. Then the bill returned to the Chamber of Deputies, being approved on June 13, 2010, by 99 votes in favour, 0 against and one abstention. The final bill was sent to president Sebastián Piñera, who enacted it on August 18, 2010 and was published on August 26.