Dutch Parliament Postpones 'Net Neutrality' Vote

AMSTERDAM — The Dutch parliament on Tuesday postponed voting on a closely watched bill that would force mobile Internet providers to let customers use Skype and other third-party services on their networks without extra chrages or giving preferential treatment to the providers' own offerings.

The vote was postponed mid-process after one party accidentally voted for an amendment it intended to oppose. Parliament will now vote on Wednesday.

If enacted into law, the bill would set an example as Europe's strongest "net neutrality" policy. Telecommunications companies oppose it as unnecessary, but consumers want it and net neutrality advocates say it will promote competition. It is seen as benefiting major software companies, notably Facebook, Skype owner Microsoft, and Google.