Sunroom Desk

How does Glendale’s proposed T-Mobile cell tower relate to the debate in Washington over $6 billion awarded to the wireless industry as part of the $825 billion stimulus package?

CNBC.com reports here on the wireless lobby’s latest attempt to control its markets and expand profits, by opposing “open-access” principles, otherwise known as “net neutrality”:

A key U.S. House committee approved about $3 billion in grants to expand Internet service Thursday, including a provision opposed by mobile phone companies that calls for increased Internet openness. The House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over most Internet and telecommunications issues, cleared the Democratic-written provisions for high-speed Internet and wireless expansion into rural and hard-to-serve areas.

A contentious part of the package requires Internet service providers that receive grant money to abide by so-called “open access” principles, which bars providers from discrimination of applications and content.

T-Mobile is a wireless company saying they want to give us better 911 and emergency coverage and resolve coverage and capacity issues. Meanwhile, their industry has lobbied the U.S. Congress for the right to be our information gatekeepers.

Check out this Bill Moyers special, focusing on big media conglomerates’ consolidation and its harm to local news, the stranglehold of a few large telecoms on the U.S. information highway, and the desire of these corporations to do away with net neutrality.

For more opinions on net neutrality and the broadband component of the stimulus package:

Net Neutrality and the Obama Stimulus Package
Net neutrality in House stimulus package is status quo
Net Neutrality Takes Center Stage in Broadband Stimulus Package
Stimulis Package Ties Broadband Funding to Net Neutrality