Google and Verizon are close to a deal that would allow Verizon to prioritise Web traffic if the content’s creators pay for it.

The deal could eventually lead to higher charges for Internet users and end net neutrality. The move is a huge win for the US carriers, which have long maintained that they should have the right to provide tiered services.

Google, on the other had was seen as a champion of Net Neutrality and had been arguing that there are risks to the open nature of the Internet from some traffic getting prioritised over others traffic.

The New York Times said that a deal between Google and Verizon could come as soon as next week we would like to link to the site, but it requires a log in. We can only quote it under the fair use rules of the DMCA, it is just they don't get the traffic.