Droid partners Verizon and Google pitch for net neutrality

Verizon and Google have decided to smoke the peace pipe after weeks of feuding over the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) proposed net neutrality rules. In a refreshing move, in a joint filing the two seem to be ready to approach the problem from a different perspective.

"Because our businesses rely on each other, it is appropriate for us to jointly discuss a number of things," wrote Alan Davidson of Google and Thomas Tauke of Verizon last Thursday, such as "how we ensure that consumers get the information, products and services they want online; encourage investment in advanced networks; and ensure the openness of the web around the world."

To give effect to the new line of thinking they have proposed a set of broad principles that would form the outline of an industry-wide system for handling network management and government intervention to be taken recourse to for only the most intractable of cases. They have proposed a set of ''overarching values that create a framework to guide players throughout the internet space."

According to analysts this is an eminently sensible approach for the two not only just rely on each other, they are also business partners now, not just in offering the Droid smartphone on Verizon's network, but in Google's online phone store, as well.

"We believe that we need a policy that will ensure openness and preserve the essential character of the internet as a global, interconnected network of networks and users that is thriving based on a common set of core values," their statement explains.

Google and Verizon have very different ideas on the question of the FCC's oversight over network management, but they are in agreement over differential treatment of internet traffic by network operators could be either beneficial or harmful to users. According to analysts that could perhaps be the closest for a big ISP to come to conceding the potential harm of network discrimination.