• TVNewscheck, Sunday, August 8, 2010 10:59 PM

Federal regulators are abandoning efforts to negotiate a compromise on so-called "network neutrality" rules intended to ensure that phone and cable TV companies cannot discriminate against Internet traffic traveling over their broadband lines. The announcement comes as two big companies that have been taking part in those talks - Verizon Communications Inc. and Google Inc. - attempt to hammer out their own separate proposal for how broadband providers should treat Internet traffic.

Network neutrality -- or open Internet rules -- a centerpiece of the Obama administration's technology policy, but the issue has divided the technology and telecommunications industries. Without it, broadband providers can charge extra to route traffic from premium services such as Internet gaming, Web video and online health care over dedicated systems. Public interest groups were pleased to see the FCC abandon its efforts to craft an industry-backed deal because they feared the result would not protect consumers and had involved primarily the large industry players.

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