The F.C.C., stymied in its efforts to ensure a level playing field for web content providers, has been holding side meetings with large internet players to find a way to regulate some form of net neutrality.  While the F.C.C. quest to see that no web content is favored over any other content continues, the New York Times reports that a deal between Google and Verizon, which in part will guarantee preferential treatment for Google’s YouTube videos on the Verizon network, may be struck as soon as next week.  Once one large content provider, like Google, agrees to pay a delivery service, like Verizon, for faster delivery of content, other deals are sure to follow.  And as with everything else, the cost of these side deals will be passed on to end users…and smaller content providers, who can pass on or pay the tariffs that internet service providers will be able to command, may see their content slowed down.  The end of the ‘free’ internet may be at hand.