Last week, rumors circulated that Google and Verizon were working to announce a joint partnership, signalling what Gizmodo prophesized as the death of net neutrality. While net neutrality can still plan to live another day, both companies just announced a “Joint Policy Proposal for an Open Internet,” effectively confirming what everyone was expecting – in the future, we’re going to see a tiered internet system.

Granted, the internet we use on a primary basis will remain as-is. Think of your current landline connections you’re used to – cable/DSL/wifi/etc. - as the “open” internet, while mobile connections – EDGE/3G/4G/whatever-else-comes-out-next-G – as the “private” internet.

Verizon’s Ivan Seidenberg offered a few examples of what kind of content we could expect to see on the private web, such as the Metropolitan Opera airing their archives in 3-D over Verizon’s FiOS service, or perhaps Verizon could develop a high-speed health care database service.

Currently, the best analog to what you could eventually see in the future is on ESPN’s website. Here at Apex we went a little world cup crazy, if you weren’t aware. ESPN3.com‘s streaming of the games was a fantastic way for us to keep up to date with the scores – until we switched ISPs in the middle of the series (ironically, we were using Verizon for our internet). ESPN currently has streaming deals in place with specific ISPs, and our new provider wasn’t on that list. We were out of luck.

Now, broaden that to a whole range of sites that will pay Verizon (or whichever mobile provider in question) for service, and there’s a chance you might not be able to access some of your favorite services via mobile devices.

This is all speculation, of course - the wording on Google’s proposal still leaves a lot of room for debate, and seeing a huge player such as Verizon agree to remain neutral on broadband internet is a massive coup for Google and the entire net neutrality community. However, as usage of newer mobile-enabled devices such as the Kindle, iPad, and smartphones increases, we’re left wondering if the “open internet” could quickly become the “abandoned internet.”

In addition to reading Google’s proposal, check out what some of the top tech blogs are saying:

• NY Times, as well as their live-blog of Google and Verizon’s conference call earlier today.
• Wired’s Epicenter
• TechCrunch
• Gizmodo, complete with bloody Lady Justice header image.
• Engadget, who has a thorough explanation of the proposal.
• UPDATE: The EFF weighs in with a great analysis.