The five-member Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved the rules aimed at safeguarding "network neutrality," the principle that lawful Web traffic should be treated equally, by a 3-2 vote at an open meeting here.

The three Democrats on the panel voted in favor of the rules, which are likely to face legal challenges, while the two Republicans voted against them.

"Our action will advance our goal of having America's broadband networks be the freeest and fastest in the world," said FCC chairman Julius Genachowski.

The rules are a balancing act by the FCC between support for consumers and the cable and telephone companies that are the major Internet Service Providers in the United States.

The rules are intended to prevent Internet providers from discriminating among lawful Web traffic, providing their own content at a faster speed, for example, than that of a rival.

The most controversial of the rules involve the FCC taking a different approach to fixed broadband and mobile broadband, giving wireless providers greater freedom to manage their networks because of limited spectrum.

Under the new rules, both fixed and mobile broadband providers must disclose their network management practices and their commercial terms.

Fixed broadband providers are subject to a "no blocking" provision, prohibiting them from blocking lawful content, applications or services.

They also may not "unreasonably discriminate in transmitting lawful network traffic."

Defending the decision not to apply the same rules to wireless networks, the FCC cited the spectrum issue and said mobile broadband is at an "earlier stage" than fixed broadband and is "quickly evolving."

However, mobile broadband providers may not block access to lawful websites or applications that compete directly with their own voice or video telephony services.

The rules will also allow fixed broadband providers to charge consumers according to usage, a metered pricing practice already used by some wireless carriers.

The FCC drafted the rules after suffering a legal setback in April when a court ruled that it had not been granted the authority by Congress to regulate the network management practices of Internet service providers.

Some Republican lawmakers in the US Congress have denounced the rules as unnecessary government regulation and pledged to oppose them.

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