Net neutrality, as it is known, ensures that all users of the Internet are treated equally without owners of infrastructure charging some users fees for higher volumes.

The Pacific Research Institute alleges in a report issued this week that imposing a regulatory regime of "net neutrality” would harm consumers, quash innovation and investment, and prove difficult or impossible to change in the future.

The findings were released in a report entitled Net Gains or Net Losses? The Net Neutrality Debate and the Future of the Internet.

"At its heart, the net neutrality debate is about price controls, and net-neutrality advocates want government regulation — rather than the open market — to determine what we pay for using the Internet," said K. Lloyd Billingsley, editorial director at PRI and author of Net Gains or Net Losses?

Net neutrality advocates believe it should be illegal for broadband service providers to charge their customers more for higher levels of service.

Those who oppose net neutrality maintain that service providers should be allowed to set pricing policies that are flexible enough to meet a variety of consumer needs.