Net neutrality lawsuit may be delayed until 2013

Opening arguments in a federal lawsuit that Verizon (NYSE: VZ) filed against the FCC last year to protest the agency's net neutrality rules may not begin until early next year, according to a schedule that the parties submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Verizon sued the FCC last fall, arguing that the agency doesn't have the right to regulate how it manages Internet traffic on its network.

Debate over net neutrality has increased in recent weeks, after Netflix complained that Comcast  (Nasdaq: CMCSA) was treating Internet traffic from Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) and other online video providers differently than content that it distributes through its Xfinity online video.

Earlier this week, the FCC created an Open Internet Advisory Committee that includes executives from Comcast, Netflix and Cisco (Nasdaq: CSCO).

For more:
 - Reuters has this story

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