Google, ISP talks home in on nondiscrimination rule

Broadband regulation talks between warring companies have narrowed to the most contentious issues separating the stakeholders, homing in on impasses that have put tech companies and broadband providers at loggerheads for years.

The talks focused in on the possibility of imposing a nondiscrimination rule on access providers. Providers have lobbied hard to fend off such a rule, which might make it difficult for them to charge Internet companies more to move certain content and applications (such as high band-width programs) over their networks. The companies are discussing whether such a rule would apply to wireless platforms, a topic dividing cable and wireless companies.