NNSquad - Network Neutrality Squad
[ NNSquad ] Verizon Lobbying GOP for Telecom Overhaul
----- Forwarded message from David Farber <dave@farber.net> ----- Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2011 11:22:59 -0500 From: David Farber <dave@farber.net> Subject: [IP] Verizon Lobbying GOP for Telecom Overhaul Reply-To: dave@farber.net To: ip <ip@listbox.com> Begin forwarded message: From: Dewayne Hendricks <dewayne@warpspeed.com> Date: January 7, 2011 3:35:07 PM EST To: Multiple recipients of Dewayne-Net <dewayne-net@warpspeed.com> Subject: [Dewayne-Net] Verizon Lobbying GOP for Telecom Overhaul Reply-To: dewayne-net@warpspeed.com Verizon Lobbying GOP for Telecom Overhaul National Journal By David Hatch LAS VEGAS -- Tom Tauke, Verizon's top lobbyist, told National Journal Thursday that the telecommunications giant is urging the new Congress not to abandon earlier Democratic plans to update the 1996 Telecommunications Act, a law widely viewed as outdated for today's broadband-driven universe. "We're encouraging Republicans on the House side to look at overhauling the Communications Act," Tauke affirmed during an interview in a private lounge reserved for exhibitors at the Consumer Electronics Show. "There's a whole array of issues that arise . . . because of the changes in technology," he said yet "there is no policy in place for the Internet broadband infrastructure." He wants a rewrite to tackle a range of topics, from regulation of Web-based "smart grids" designed to reduce power consumption to privacy protections for digital data stored in the "cloud" of the Internet. He also sees a need for Congress to weigh in on bread and butter telecom matters, including the ongoing debate over restructuring the $7. 3 billion universal service phone subsidy fund for the broadband era. Furthermore, he said lawmakers should strengthen intellectual property protections for high-tech companies and provide more guidance on Internet tax issues. <http://techdailydose.nationaljournal.com/2011/01/ces-exclusive-verizon-makes-ne.php> Dewayne-Net RSS Feed: <http://www.warpspeed.com/wordpress> ------------------------------------------- ----- End forwarded message -----