While NCTA and Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott joined those arguing that a Title II Communications Act net neutrality approach could lead to billions of dollars in state and local tax and fee increases on consumers, telecom attorneys and other advocates differed whether that would actually happen. That is partly because broadband may be considered an interstate service not subject to state and local tax, they said in interviews.

While NCTA and Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott joined those arguing that a Title II Communications Act net neutrality approach could lead to billions of dollars in state and local tax and fee increases on consumers, telecom attorneys and other advocates differed whether that would actually happen. That is partly because broadband may be considered an interstate service not subject to state and local tax, they said in interviews.

Internet access should be a universal service, the Italian EU Presidency said as debate on net neutrality, part of the proposed "connected continent" legislative package, stalled in the Telecom Council. Italy tried to find agreement on the issue but was forced to acknowledge that "none of the compromise drafts ... has gathered enough consensus" among governments, said Communications Undersecretary Antonello Giacomelli in a statement Thursday on the presidency's website. He proposed to "free the ongoing reflection between operators' and [over-the-tops] OTTs' interests by focusing on the ... right of the citizen-user. ... An adequate access to the Internet should be considered a universal service." Advocacy group European Digital Rights (EDRi) called the idea "interesting but tangential." Separately, reaction continued to the European Parliament vote (see 1411280035) to break up Google.

Communications Act Title II opponents seized on a Progressive Policy Institute study’s estimate Monday that reclassifying broadband would create $15 billion nationally in new federal, state and local taxes and fees, and predicted it would dampen public enthusiasm for basing net neutrality rules on Title II. The “sleeping giant has been awakened, and once the size of the fee increases becomes more widely understood, I think consumers will react,” said Free State Foundation President Randolph May.

Communications Act Title II opponents seized on a Progressive Policy Institute study’s estimate Monday that reclassifying broadband would create $15 billion nationally in new federal, state and local taxes and fees, and predicted it would dampen public enthusiasm for basing net neutrality rules on Title II. The “sleeping giant has been awakened, and once the size of the fee increases becomes more widely understood, I think consumers will react,” said Free State Foundation President Randolph May.

Internet access should be a universal service, the Italian EU Presidency said as debate on net neutrality, part of the proposed "connected continent" legislative package, stalled in the Telecom Council. Italy tried to find agreement on the issue but was forced to acknowledge that "none of the compromise drafts ... has gathered enough consensus" among governments, said Communications Undersecretary Antonello Giacomelli in a statement Thursday on the presidency's website. He proposed to "free the ongoing reflection between operators' and [over-the-tops] OTTs' interests by focusing on the ... right of the citizen-user. ... An adequate access to the Internet should be considered a universal service." Advocacy group European Digital Rights (EDRi) called the idea "interesting but tangential." Separately, reaction continued to the European Parliament vote (see 1411280035) to break up Google.

A draft order FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler circulated Thursday in preparation for possible action at the December commission meeting would, as we reported (see 1411190059), require providers receiving CAF support to offer broadband speeds of 10 Mbps downstream instead of 4 Mbps, a commission official told us.

In what Communications Act Title II opponents say illustrates a split among progressives on net neutrality, Rev. Jesse Jackson urged FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler at a meeting Thursday not to base rules on Title II, according to an as yet still unposted ex parte notice. Jackson, echoing concerns by minority groups as well as by broadband providers like AT&T, told Wheeler and top agency aides he feared reclassification “would harm investment in broadband infrastructure, which would reduce broadband deployment … in minority communities,” said TechFreedom’s ex parte report on the meeting given to us. The meeting included what one of the participants, Minority Media and Telecommunications Council Vice President Nicol Turner-Lee, called a group of “strange bedfellows” that included net neutrality groups and free market advocates like the Free State Foundation.

In what Communications Act Title II opponents say illustrates a split among progressives on net neutrality, Rev. Jesse Jackson urged FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler at a meeting Thursday not to base rules on Title II, according to an as yet still unposted ex parte notice. Jackson, echoing concerns by minority groups as well as by broadband providers like AT&T, told Wheeler and top agency aides he feared reclassification “would harm investment in broadband infrastructure, which would reduce broadband deployment … in minority communities,” said TechFreedom’s ex parte report on the meeting given to us. The meeting included what one of the participants, Minority Media and Telecommunications Council Vice President Nicol Turner-Lee, called a group of “strange bedfellows” that included net neutrality groups and free market advocates like the Free State Foundation.

Top telecom issues set for discussion at NARUC’s annual meeting this week in San Francisco include states’ authority under Communications Act Section 706, 911 reliability, the USF contribution base and municipal broadband, NARUC members said in interviews.