The U.S. team in Dubai also includes heavy hitters from the tech world such as Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc., which stood up against proposals by European telecoms companies to charge Internet content providers for access to domestic markets around the world.
A statement from Google said the Dubai gathering underscored that "many governments want to increase regulation and censorship of the Internet."
"We stand with the countries who refuse to sign this treaty," said the company statement.
In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the conference went in the "wrong direction" by opening the door to greater government controls "instead of focusing on promoting innovation and market growth in the telecom space."
Michael Beckerman, president and CEO of the Washington-based industry group The Internet Association, said the efforts for greater government controls could "forever alter" the current framework of the Net.
"The unique nature of the Internet - free from government control and governed by multiple stakeholders - has unleashed unprecedented entrepreneurialism, creativity, innovation, and freedom far beyond imagination," he said in a statement. "Preserving a free Internet for all people is essential to the preservation of political and economic liberty."
Other issues in the accord include calls for more transparency on roaming charges by mobile phone companies, efforts to fight Internet fraud and spam and creation of a worldwide emergency number for mobile phones and other devices.
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