Verizon, Google propose Web traffic rules

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: Verizon and Google said on Monday that regulators should be able to police Web traffic over cable and telephone lines, but carriers should control the speed of access to content on wireless devices.

The joint announcement marks a surprising industry compromise over so-called "net neutrality" — a term that means high-speed Internet providers should not block or slow information or charge websites to pay for a fast lane to reach users more quickly. But it is unclear if the giant companies can get lawmakers or regulators to move forward with their proposal.

But analysts said the Federal Communications Commission is unlikely to cheer for a proposal that would only apply to a slice of Internet channels.

The FCC has been trying for about a year to craft rules for how Internet traffic should be managed on telephone, cable and wireless devices. That effort was thrown into disarray in April when a court ruled the FCC overstepped its bounds by sanctioning Comcast Corp for blocking bandwith-hogging online applications.

The proposal by the telecommunications and Internet giants on Monday came after the FCC failed to broker an agreement on net neutrality among broadband providers and Web companies.