Google and Verizon Near Deal on Pay Tiers for Web

[Joanne98]

By EDWARD WYATT
WASHINGTON — Google and Verizon, two leading players in Internet service and content, are nearing an agreement that could allow Verizon to speed some online content to Internet users more quickly if the content’s creators are willing to pay for the privilege.

The charges could be paid by companies, like YouTube, owned by Google, for example, to Verizon, one of the nation’s leading Internet service providers, to ensure that its content received priority as it made its way to consumers. The agreement could eventually lead to higher charges for Internet users.

Such an agreement could overthrow a once-sacred tenet of Internet policy known as net neutrality, in which no form of content is favored over another. In its place, consumers could soon see a new, tiered system, which, like cable television, imposes higher costs for premium levels of service.

Any agreement between Verizon and Google could also upend the efforts of the Federal Communications Commission to assert its authority over broadband service, which was severely restricted by a federal appeals court decision in April.

People close to the negotiations who were not authorized to speak publicly about them said an agreement could be reached as soon as next week. If completed, Google, whose Android operating system powers many Verizon wireless phones, would agree not to challenge Verizon’s ability to manage its broadband Internet network as it pleased.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/05/technology/05secret.html?_r=2&src=twt&twt=nytimes

[no limit]

1. Well that didn't take long. Isn't Google one of the main companies pushing net neutrality?

http://www.google.com/help/netneutrality_letter.html

A little hypocritical, no?

[Uncle Joe]

2. Should they sell out Net Neutrality; I believe this would be a tragedy of the first order in

regards to the American Peoples' First Amendment power and the Internet.

I view such an event as a direct attack against American democracy; such as it is.

Thanks for the thread, Joanne.