The Justice Department told the FCC that it is opposed to net neutrality, saying that Internet service providers should be allowed to charge different fees for different sorts of Web traffic.

Telecoms and cable companies have been lobbying for the right to charge some users more for loading certain content or Web sites, and yesterday, the Justice Department agreed with them, saying that Net neutrality regulations could impede development of the Internet and hamper service providers from upgrading or expanding their networks. "Whether or not the same type of differentiated products and services will develop on the Internet should be determined by market forces, not regulatory intervention," the department said in its filing.

The department also said, in its filing, that charging more for access to certain sites could shift the cost "burden" of expanding and upgrading networks onto consumers.

Along with heated debates about networks locking down devices, issues of Net neutrality have been the topic of many industry discussions lately. Particularly as consumers groups, telecoms and technology companies looking to break into the wireless space have been arguing about the rules governing the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction.

Only two months ago, FTC Chairwoman Deborah Platt Majoras argued for policy makers to enact Net neutrality regulation, saying that without neutrality legislation service providers could discriminate against certain Web sites, such as competitors' offerings.

The Justice Department did clarify that its position does not mean it will stop monitoring and enforcing anticompetitive conduct.