We know exactly what will happen if the big telecom companies succeed in convincing Congress to let them partition the Internet. We have a perfectly good example of the mess we will be in, and it is called the cellphone industry. Read this article [link no longer available] to see how innovation is choked off, small businesses are forced out of the market place, and how consumers end up paying more, much more, for mediocre services.
Right now, anyone with a good idea can start an Internet-based business and know that the service will be available to anyone with an Internet connection. What the telecom companies want is a "two tier" system, but in reality there will be many tiers, and companies that want to sell a service over a Verizon network, as an example, will likely have to pay high up front fees and high monthly fees, before any revenue comes back to the new enterprise. This means most new business ideas will never launch, because the start up costs will be too high, and the next Google or eBay will never have a chance. Let's hope Congress comes to its senses before it is too late.