Ted Cruz Pushes Bill to Hinder Community Broadband As we've long noted, incumbent ISPs have lobbied around twenty states to pass protectionist laws that prevent towns and cities from exploring other options if they're annoyed with lagging broadband competition in their markets. In February of last year, the FCC voted to take aim at two such bans in North Carolina and Tennessee, saying the laws are intentionally designed to protect the broadband status quo. Prompted by ISPs, states quickly moved to sue the FCC, claiming state rights were being violated.

Now Presidential candidate Ted Cruz is the latest to rush to the defense of AT&T, Comcast, and other large providers with a new amendment aimed at defending these bills, which sometimes even ban communities from striking public/private partnerships to shore up broadband coverage. The legislation is dubbed the "FCC Process Reform Act" and is being proposed jointly by Cruz and Nebraska Senator Deb Fischer. According to an early version of the bill exclusively obtained by Multichannel News, the proposal would "prohibit the FCC form preventing states from implementing laws relating to provision of broadband Internet access service by state and local governments." Granted as we've long noted, towns and cities aren't getting into the broadband business because it's fun. They're exploring alternative options because they're aggressively unhappy with the state of current broadband service and competition in many markets. But instead of improving service to stop these type of efforts, ISPs have leaned on their almost total political domination of most state legislatures. It may not be the best timing for Cruz, given that while ISPs have had great success sowing discord by framing the municipal broadband debate as a political one, the times are quickly changing. Most municipal broadband builds exist in Conservative markets, and the building of these networks and partnerships tends to have broad bi-partisan support. That's because the dislike of duopolists and resulting high prices tends to reach across party lines and annoy everybody equally. Most people at this point who've experienced the lack of broadband competition first hand now realize we need flexible, creative, solution-oriented solutions that extend beyond yelling "municipal broadband is bad" from your recliner. Similarly, it's fairly obvious to most people that letting large broadband providers with a vested interest in perpetuating a lack of broadband competition write state telecommunications law isn't the brightest idea either. Given the fact that public perception is turning the corner on the subject of community broadband, playing kissy face with the nation's incumbent broadband providers isn't exactly the best look for somebody trying to improve "likability" ahead of a national election.







News Jump California Defends Its Net Neutrality Law; AT&T's Traffic Up 20% Despite Data Traffic Actually Being Down; + more news Are The Comcast-Charter X1 Talks Dead In The Water?; AT&T May Offer Phone Plans With Ads For Discounts; + more news Europe's Top Court: Net Neutrality Rules Bar Zero Rating; ViacomCBS To Rebrand CBS All Access As Paramount+; + more news Verizon To Buy Reseller TracFone For $7B; 5G Not The Competitive Threat To Cable Many Thought It Would Be; + more news MS.Wants Records From AT&T On $300M Project; Google Fiber Outages In Austin, Houston, Other Texan Cities; + more news States With The Biggest Decreases In Speed; AT&T Hopes You'll Forget Its Fight Against Accurate Maps; + more news AT&T's CEO Has A Familiar $olution To US Broadband Woes; EarthLink Files Suit Against Charter; + more news 5G Doesn't Live Up To Hype, AT&T's 5G Slower Than Its 4G; Cord-Cutting Now In 37% of Broadband Households; + more news FCC Cited False Broadband Data Despite Warnings; ZTE, Huawei Replacement Cost Is $1.87B, But Only $1B Allocated; + more Cogeco Rejects Altice USA's Atlantic Broadband Bid; AT&T Is Astroturfing The FCC In Support Of Trump Attack; + more news ---------------------- this week last week most discussed

Most recommended from 79 comments

Brim77

join:2012-03-16

Lansing, MI 30 recommendations Brim77 Member How can someone so doughy... ...be so reptilian?

buzz_4_20

join:2003-09-20

Biddeford, ME 27 recommendations buzz_4_20 Member These people If the "Free Market" worked so well this wouldn't be an issue.

davidc502

join:2002-03-06

Mount Juliet, TN 26 recommendations davidc502 Member Hence...... Hence one of the reasons why I won't vote for this political preacher.

Zenit

The system is the solution

Premium Member

join:2012-05-07

Purcellville, VA 22 recommendations Zenit Premium Member Who cares about Cruz? He is DONE



His re-election chances for his senate seat is unlikely, he failed to go home and help out with the flooding. He did not even mention it on the debate trail. It's great that he is toasTED.



America under Cruz would look like this:







This bill he proposed undermines federal power and allows for crony capitalism, more of the same-old from a corporatist politician. Infrastructure is within the domain of a municipalities responsibilities. If private actors are not delivering the services required in the 21st century then the municipality can do it if the voters approve it. It is no different than a municipality providing water, natural gas, or electricity because a private entity wont. Cruz is a whiny establishment shill whom has been rejected by the American people once his antics to steal the nomination became clear. He is mathematically eliminaTED and the GOPe should just give up trying to shove a bought & paid establishment crook down our throats. Basich and sCruz need to get out!His re-election chances for his senate seat is unlikely, he failed to go home and help out with the flooding. He did not even mention it on the debate trail. It's great that he is toasTED.America under Cruz would look like this: six9

join:2001-12-03

Wake Forest, NC 11 recommendations six9 Member And while this happens.... People all up in arms about which damn bathroom to pee in. SMH ALL DAY LONG!!



I am usually on the R side of things but in the case of muni broadband, I am so against those idiots. There needs to be competition in this area and these idiots do everything to prevent it.



I wish the people would grow brains and boot these people out of our Congress. wkm001

join:2009-12-14 11 recommendations wkm001 Member I have an idea Why doesn't someone propose a bill that would allow all the local municipalities to opt out of the state law if they see fit.



The big ISPs draw hard lines where they offer service. Each small town should be able to decide for themselves.

voipguy

join:2006-05-31

Forest Hills, NY 5 recommendations voipguy Member Solution-Oriented Solutions I too prefer solution-oriented solutions, I must say.

rchandra

Stargate Universe fan

Premium Member

join:2000-11-09

14225-2105 ARRIS ONT1000GJ4

EnGenius EAP1250

3 recommendations rchandra Premium Member I thoroughly understand Mr. Cruz is a strict Constitutionalist, and therefore an ardent supporter of Amendment X. It's just that I'm disappointed in him, that there could be such a thing as discretion in applying any particular law. I would hope he'd look at the lack of last kilometer competition and realize the reasons and motivation for the FCC is doing this. It's not really an attempt at increasing federal control, but rather doing something towards trying to improve people's choices.

Mr_Anon_Name

@2600:8807.x 3 recommendations Mr_Anon_Name Anon The Zodiac Killer strikes again. And they wonder why no one likes him...