Ninety-five Democrats running for Congress have pledged to support Net Neutrality should they be elected reports PCMag.com.
It’s not the first time candidates have attempted to win votes over what, in the big picture of national priorities, is a relatively fringe issue. And although it’s questionable how many votes this action will actually bring the Democrats, they’re probably telling themselves it’s worth a shot.
The Bell company execs who will want to pull the Republican lever in opposition probably would have voted Republican anyway. And, as Connected Planet has noted before, Net Neutrality just sounds like a good thing–especially if you don’t know anything about it, which most voters don’t–so there’s not a lot of risk in voicing support for it.
The FCC apparently has taken pity on Cablevision subscribers who have not been able to watch Fox programming since the content provider escalated its dispute with the cable operator several days ago. The Washington Post reports that on Tuesday evening, the 
Net neutrality advocates are keeping the pressure on the FCC to keep their cause on its “to do” list, 
TV white spaces aren’t the only hot topic on the agenda for tomorrow’s FCC meeting. The commission is also expected to approve an order allow funding through the Universal Service schools and libraries program to be used toward the cost of dark fiber connections, including those provided by municipalities. Certain telcos aren’t likely to be very happy about that idea, as Stifel Nicolaus analysts Rebecca Arbogast and David Kaut wrote in a research note:
We’re halfway through “National Lifeline and Link-Up Telephone Discount Awareness Week,” and at least two carriers have opted to take the opportunity to promote the programs, which are funded by the telecom industry and pay part of the costs of phone service and installation for lower-income people.
Will next week bring a slew of media coverage about the Universal Service program’s Lifeline and Link-Up programs? Federal, state and local agencies, along with non-profit and community-based groups, hope it will.
Here’s another item to add to the list of public policies accused of potentially stifling investment. Wireless Week reports that Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget arguing that a data roaming requirement would “limit innovation and investment in wireless data services and wireless networks.”
Sure, it’s an important issue. But with all the supposed back-room negotiations going on, you would think the FCC would have a grip on Net neutrality by now. Instead, the FCC issued a public notice this week calling for further inquiry into what it deems two key Net neutrality issues brought up in the recent Google/Verizon proposal on the topic: one, the definition of specialized services, and two, whether or not Net neutrality should apply to both the wired and wireless Internet.
Verizon has been fairly quiet regarding its controversial Net neutrality proposal with Google — but that changed Monday. In an Aspen Institute conference speech, Verizon’s head lobbyist and executive vice president for public affairs, Thomas Tauke, said consumers would benefit from the new services — and improved service quality — that the pact would enable.