Cable lobby shovels California broadband subsidies to a halt

1 July 2013 by Steve Blum
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A good day’s work for California cable lobbyists.

With utter disregard for truth and common sense, lobbyists from Comcast and the California cable industry successfully confused enough assembly members to halt senate bill 740 in its tracks. SB 740 would have added $90 million to the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) and allowed independent Internet service providers and public agencies to apply for broadband infrastructure grants under some circumstances.

A long line of supporters – including, remarkably enough, AT&T – endorsed the compromise language negotiated last week. But cable lobbyists wouldn’t budge. Instead of accepting an amendment that was offered on the spot to address their concerns, they persisted with ridiculous claims about the broadband speeds needed by Californians and the number who are without any service at all.

Carolyn McIntyre, a lobbyist for the California Cable and Telecommunications Association, told committee members that the FCC thinks 1.5 Mbps service is good enough for people to do what they need to do and that only about 12,000 California homes are out of the reach of broadband service providers. The California Public Utilities Commission has set 6 Mbps as the download speed standard for the state, and even the FCC has endorsed 4 Mbps as a minimum. As for the number of unserved California households, the 12,000 figure flogged by McIntyre and Comcast hired gun John Moffat originated with industry sources. Research by the California Emerging Technology Fund puts the figure at a more credible 225,000.

The bill’s sponsor, senator Alex Padilla (D- Los Angeles), tried to respond but the damage was done.

The bill needed eight “yes” votes from the assembly utilities and commerce committee this afternoon. It only received five. Three committee members went on the record as opposing it. The remainder sat silent while the roll was called. Despite a last minute push by broadband advocates, myself included, and staffers from Padilla’s office, none of the fence sitters could be swayed before the vote was officially closed.

According to senator Padilla’s staff, the bill is effectively dead. Although in theory it could be reconsidered, no more committee meetings are expected before the assembly’s 12 July deadline for moving legislation along. It’s possible it could be resurrected next year, but for now, when the $158 million currently in the CASF kitty runs out, California broadband infrastructure grants will end.