Soon after AT&T chief Ed Whitacre announced his plans to accept his company’s diamond encrusted retirement offer, the phone colossus announced Big Ed’s replacement.

Randall Stephenson, onetime SBC Chief Operating Officer, will attempt to fill the shoes of the man who once called all of us “nuts” for thinking the Internet should remain free from phone company discrimination.

Whitacre Version 2.0

But this apple clearly hasn’t fallen far from the tree. Echoing his predecessor, Stephenson was quoted in an industry newsletter saying: “Oh no. We’re going to control the video on our network. The content guys will have to make a deal with us.”

Stephenson’s statement makes it clear that he intends to carry forward Whitacre’s plan to block or degrade high-speed content of anyone who has not struck a special deal with AT&T.

It is typical for broadband providers to bill their customers, and only their customers, for access to the Internet. What Stephenson and Whitacre are talking about is a scheme to ransom off access to these customers to the highest bidders — to add another toll, charging sites for first-in-line access to your connection.

For AT&T it’s not just about delivering “your world” but about charging others for the privilege to enter “your world” in front of those that you’d prefer. The problem, of course, is that they’re selling out your free choice in the process.

Stephenson scheme forces users to the sites that AT&T prefers. The phone and cable companies claim that this sort of discriminatory “double dipping” — charging both consumers and content providers — is necessary for them to provide the high speed services that Americans demand.

“While it’s one way to earn cash, it’s just too close to the Tony Soprano vision of networking: Use your position to make threats and extract payments,” writes Columbia Law Professor Tim Wu. “This is similar to the outlawed, but still common, ‘payola’ schemes in the radio world. Yes, there’s money in such schemes, but they aren’t good for the industry or the country.”

Whitacre and Stephenson’s scheme is a fundamental shift in the neutral way the Internet has always worked. In essence, it takes away user choice — the most basic tenet of the Internet – and hands it to AT&T.

It also tilts the Web’s even playing field to favor the larger corporations, while handicapping the Internet’s true innovators who can’t afford to buy in to AT&T’s protection racket.

Grassroots pressure has “turned the tide” in the Net Neutrality debate, taking an issue once thought to be a slam dunk for the phone companies and turning it into a political third rail in Washington.

Activists, business leaders and politicians praised SavetheInternet.com’s success elevating this vital free speech issue as the Coalition turned one this week — pledging to carry on the fight for Internet freedom in the halls of Congress.

Sen. Dorgan: Defending Our Freedom To Choose

Sen. Byron Dorgan

“In this relatively short time, this issue of Net Neutrality being debated has moved from an unknown technical issue to one of the dominant telecommunications and Internet policy debates here in Washington DC,” said Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), who spoke Thursday alongside business leader Craig Newmark of craigslist and others on a conference call celebrating the Coalition’s first anniversary.

With Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), Dorgan has introduced the bipartisan “Internet Freedom Preservation Act” (S. 215), which prevents the phone and cable duopoly from becoming the Web’s gatekeepers. “The freedom to choose — the very core of what makes the Internet what it is today — must be preserved,” Dorgan said, pledging to take his legislation to the Senate floor this year.

Sen. Wyden: SavetheInternet.com has ‘Turned the Tide’

Sen. Ron Wyden

“Sixteen months ago, when I began to fight to keep the Internet free of discrimination for consumers and businesses, it was a pretty lonely battle,” Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said. “With the SavetheInternet.com Coalition, I now fight alongside almost 2 million people and some great congressional partners, battling to preserve Net Neutrality. SavetheInternet.com’s presence has helped turn the tide in this critical debate.”

Rep. Markey: Neutrality’s Champion

“Saving the Internet is vital for civic involvement, entrepreneurial activity, communications and free speech,” said Congressman Ed Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. “On the anniversary of this grassroots effort, I welcome the renewed and growing support shown for common-sense protections for freedom on the Internet and am eager to battle to put such protections on the books this Congress.”

Tim Wu: Opposing Neutrality a Political ‘Third Rail’

Professor Tim Wu

“I think SavetheInternet.com’s success surprised everyone, especially those who thought the public was way too uninterested in issues like ‘Net Neutrality’ to give a damn,” said Tim Wu, a leading Internet scholar who first coined the term Net Neutrality.

“Opposing Net Neutrality has emerged as a third rail of telecom politics,” Wu said. “It’s one that politicians touch at their peril.”

Wu believes that the Coalition forced a “sea change” in the way people regard telecom policy – a change that has terrified the phone company lobbyists who once had an easy time forcing industry-friendly legislation through Congress. “The plan was to quietly bulldoze through telecom legislation last year to disable the FCC’s oversight of Net Neutrality,” Wu said. “It was a shock to everyone involved, the strength of the reaction.”

Chris Rabb: Net Neutrality a Civic Right

Chris Rabb, Afro-Netizen

“The Coalition’s very success over the past year is a testament to the egalitarian and inclusive nature of the Internet itself, which now millions of Americans see is worth safeguarding under federal law,” said Chris Rabb, Founder and “Chief Evangelist” of Afro-Netizen.

“The cost, quality and range of Americans’ access to, and navigation on, the Internet should not be determined by a corporate prerogative, but protected as a consumer and civic right.”

Adam Green: A ‘Grassroots Internet Revolution’

“What we’ve seen over the last year with the SavetheInternet.com Coalition is nothing short of a grassroots Internet revolution — and that revolution will continue this year until Congress reinstates Net Neutrality into law,” said Adam Green of MoveOn.org Civic Action. “Through solid grassroots activism, millions of Internet users derailed a bill that would let companies like AT&T and Verizon dictate what Web sites you can access on your computer.”

Gigi Sohn: Grassroots vs. Telcos

Gigi Sohn of Public Knowledge

“The contrast could not be more stark between an organization of dedicated grassroots activists and public-interest organizations on one side and the entrenched incumbents on the other,” said Gigi B. Sohn, founder and president of Public Knowledge.

“We look forward to moving ahead this year on a comprehensive telecommunications policy that will result not only in an Internet based on Net Neutrality, but in making high-speed Internet service more affordable and available across the country.”

Michelle Combs: Neutrality a Family Issue

Michelle Combs of the Christian Coalition

“We believe that Net Neutrality is a true family issue,” said Michelle Combs of the Christian Coalition of America which has many state franchises and churches that rely on the Internet to communicate to their members.

“We’d really like for this issue to be part of the presidential campaign on the Republican and Democratic side,” Combs said. “It’s number 2 on our legislative agenda.”

What Real Grassroots Look Like

While phone and cable companies spent millions and millions on inside-the-Beltway advertising and Astroturf groups, the SavetheInternet.com Coalition — which takes no corporate money — kick-started a public conversation about what the future of the Internet should look like. Word spread thanks to local organizers, bloggers of all stripes, and Internet auteurs, who made dozens of viral videos about the looming threat to Internet freedom.

In just the past few weeks, local SavetheInternet.com Coalition activists have attended more than 40 “in-district” meetings with their members of Congress. From Shoreline, Wash. to Palm Harbor, Fla., Providence, R.I., to Bakersfield, Calif., hundreds of activists urged their elected officials to support Net Neutrality in the 110th Congress. Several new members pledged to support Net Neutrality legislation when it came to a vote in Congress.

SavetheInternet at One: Slaying the Shills

In the weeks ahead, the coalition will be encouraging its members not only to keep the pressure on Congress, but to make their voices heard by filing comments with the Federal Communications Commission, which recently started an official inquiry into the issue. At the same time, state legislatures and city councils are considering resolutions in support of the issue. And Net Neutrality has been highlighted by many major candidates running for president.

A year ago, all the so-called experts said we would never win anything. They said millions of people would never care about an issue called Net Neutrality. They said we had no chance of stopping phone and cable companies with their deep pockets, phony front groups and armies of lobbyists.

We proved them wrong. And we’ll prove them wrong again. This has been an exciting year, but we won’t rest until we’ve done all we can to bring neutral, faster, affordable Internet to everyone.

SavetheInternet.com supporters are flexing their grassroots muscle once again, drumming up even broader support for Net Neutrality during 42 “in-district” meetings with members of Congress and their staff.

The meetings — held over the past 60 days in offices from Shoreline, Wash., to Palm Harbor, Fla., from Providence, R.I., to Bakersfield, Calif. — involved hundreds of activists who urged their elected representatives and senators to support Net Neutrality in the 110th Congress. As a result, several members pledged to support Net Neutrality legislation when it came to a vote in Congress.

Here are reports from SavetheInternet.com activists in the field:

Rep. Phil Hare (D-Illinois)

Rep. Hare Gets Behind Markey’s Bill

Margaret Thomas a teacher from Rock Island, Illinois joined eight others to meet with Rep. Hare on April 14. “Phil was interested in the information we gave him and in our individual experiences which led to our being involved in this issue. He said that he would get in touch with Congressman Markey and support the legislation that will be introduced to guarantee net neutrality.”

Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.)

David Kaufer the founder and CEO of the Web-based start-up GreenforGood.com urged Rep. Jay Inslee (D -Wash.) “to be a strong and vocal leader.” Inslee introduced Net Neutrality legislation in the House last year. He remains committed to supporting the principle, according to staffer Adam Bartz, who met with SavetheInternet.com supporters at Inslee’s Shoreline office.

Andrew Pedersen, an independent recording artist, producer and distributor from Bellevue told a staffer from Rep. Inslee’s office that Internet radio is essential to the marketing of independent artists across the globe. Pedersen depends on Web sales for 100 percent of his revenues. “Without Net Neutrality, these stations would not be able to afford the increased bandwidth operating costs, and I might not be able to afford my Web presence.”

Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.)

SavetheInternet.com with Rep. Wilson: A Strong Supporter

“Rep. Heather Wilson concluded our meeting by saying she would definitely look into the possibility of co-sponsoring the Markey [Net Neutrality] bill,” reported Gary Maricle an Albuquerque-based small business owner whose business consists of 20 Web sites that sell New Mexico chiles. “She also stated she wanted to look into whatever proposals there might be on the Senate side, too.”

Along with five other Net Neutrality supporters from Wilson’s district, Maricle handed the congresswoman a handwritten note from Gov. Bill Richardson’s IT Commission Chairman urging her continued support of Net Neutrality. “I believe she was duly impressed,” Maricle wrote.

Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Kentucky)

Rep. Yarmuth: Voting in the public interest

Mark McKinley a low power radio activist in Louisville met on April 5 with Rep. Yarmuth. McKinley reports that his group gave Yarmuth a pro-business perspective on Net Neutrality. “Rep. Yarmuth seemed genuine in wanting to follow-up to learn more,” he writes. “We had the opportunity to get John’s read on this, and, after hearing from us, I feel he’s better prepared to cast his vote in the public’s interest. It matters.”

Rep. Henry Johnson’s (D-Ga.)

Candace Apple a businesswoman from Atlanta met with Johnson’s Special Assistant Carole Mumford on March 7. “We discussed free speech issues and the danger of losing internet neutrality,” she reports. “As a small business owner I discussed my concerned about the impact on the vitality of small business in America if the internet were no longer a level playing field.” Mumford told Apple and other activists that she had watched the SavetheInternet.com video and will alert Rep. Johnson to support the issue.

Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.)

Musician Daniel Krimm from Menlo Park joined a group of six others in a meeting at the office of Net Neutrality supporter Rep. Anna Eshoo.

“I mentioned that Eshoo herself and other elected officials have a strong interest in protecting their own access to their constituents as the Internet continues to increase the availability of tools to reach constituents outside,” he reported after the meeting. “We made a lot of points about common carriage, the increasing status of the Internet as an essential public utility (as various different media increasingly converge on this platform), and the need to protect market competition in the information market generally.”

Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)

Sen. Cantwell’s office a ‘cheerleader’ for Neutrality

William Purdy of Bainbridge Island met with Cantwell’s outreach director Shakti Hawkins on March 7. “Because of Cantwell’s background in high tech, she has a particular interest in Net Neutrality, he writes about the meeting. “She will be a cheerleader.” Cantwell is among the strong supporters of Senator Byron Dorgan’s bill (S.215). “The politicians who will oppose this should be made to understand that Net Neutrality is pro-business, pro-entrepreneur, pro-free market,” Purdy reports. “Those are things they understand and respond to.”

Rep. Joe Donnelly (D-Indiana)

Ross Rannells an internet software developer and instructor from Mishawaka, Indiana met on March 25 with Rep. Donnelly. “He promised to vote in support of Net Neutrality,” Rannells writes. “Other supporters [at the meeting] put a human face on the issue and were able to convince him that the issue had a significant effect on the lives of his constituents.” Joseph Jackmovich who was also at the Donnelly meeting reports that the representative “went so far as to promise to not let Net Neutrality die.”

Rep. Joe Courtney (D-Conn.)

Rep. Courtney Pledges Support for Net Neutrality

Freshman Congressman Joe Courtney (D-Conn.) pledged his support and promised to work with Markey’s office on legislation, according to John Smith, a member of the Suffield Board of Selectmen.

“I do believe that he now understands the issue, and I believe that because of our meeting he is better informed,” reported insurance agent Jeff Melhorn who joined up with Smith and four others to meet with Rep. Courtney. “I recommend that if you like your Internet the way it is, please take an hour out of the day and see your congressman. It is worth it.”

Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.)

Deborah Pearson from Cumming, Ga., met with Rep. Nathan Deal on Feb. 20. Mr. Deal “seemed very interested and concerned that his constituency would be adversely affected by any changes in the Internet,” she reported. “I believe Mr. Deal appreciated that I took the time to see him.”

Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.)

David Wass of Santa Barbara, California led a group of activists in a meeting on April 5 with Rep. Capps. “Lois said she would support Rep. Ed Markey’s bill due to come out later this year,” he writes. “All of those present were able to converse quite eloquently with the Congresswoman on the issue.”

Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.)

“Overall very encouraging,” reported Web developer Giles Hendrix about his meeting with the chief of staff from Rep. Yvette Clarke’s Brooklyn office. “We each gave our specific cases, and by the end of the meeting he was explaining the issue to us.”

“He listened, asked good questions, and gave everyone time to air out on the issue,” wrote Brian Donohue of the Daily rEvolution Weblog. “He specifically asked that he be notified when the Markey legislation is ready to hit the floor.”

Rep. David Davis (R-Tenn.)

“He was not previously aware of the Net Neutrality issue,” said Carolyn Rice Dean, a small business owner from Morristown, Tenn., after her meeting with Rep. David Davis (R-Tenn.).

Rep. Davis Tells Carolyn He’s Concerned about Threat to Small Businesses

“He seemed genuinely interested and asked me to keep his office informed as to what bills and when as that info becomes available,” she added. “That is when he told me he was a small business owner, too, and he completely understood.”

Rep. Davis later mentioned the meeting during a hearing of the House Committee on Small Business. Davis said that small companies in his district had expressed fears they might go under if stuck with either stiff access fees or slower Internet access. “Help me understand [Net Neutrality],” said the congressman, “so I can explain it to my constituents.”

Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-Kansas)

Kevin Siek of Topeka Kansas met on April 4 with staff from of Rep. Boyda’s office. “From the conversation I would say that Boyda is at least leaning our way on Net Neutrality… I’m sure if enough of her constituents urge her to support Net Neutrality she will eventually get religion.”

“Net Neutrality allows me to help grassroots organizations to organize for a variety of issues from local elections to global warming,” wrote Christopher Renner of Manhattan, Kansas who also attended the meeting. “Without equal access to the Internet such fundamental democratic processes would not longer help candidates like Rep. Boyda get elected.”

Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

John Thrasher, a former entertainment retail executive from Bakersfield, told a staffer from Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s office that the Net Neutrality issue “cuts across party lines and should be viewed in the interests of trying to see that competition fairness is essential on the Internet.”

“Here’s hoping for continued progress,” he added.

Rep. Chris Carney’s (D-Pa.)

On April 5, Donald Noll of Jermyn Pennsylvania joined other Net Neutrality supporters in a lively discussion with Rep. Carney’s top aide before speaking with Carney himself. “The aide was very familiar with the issues and I believe we have allies here but we reminded him that we would be watching this issue closely and intended to follow up,” Noll reports.

Sen. Claire McCaskill’s (D-Missouri)

SavetheInternet.com at Sen McCaskill’s office

JoAnn Witt of Kansas City, Missouri met with Sen. McCaskill’s deputy regional director, Kimiko Gilmore on April 10. “We, all, had special examples of how we would be affected by a loss of Neutrality,” she writes. I made sure that she saw that companies would cause us all kinds of problems without a law prohibiting them from doing so.”

Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.)

An aide to Rep. Welch told Net Neutrality supporters that he was upset that there was so much bickering among members of Congress over this issue. “I said when huge amounts of money are on the table that table manners tend to go the way of all flesh,” said John Bloch, president of Onion River Community Access Media. Welch has come out in support of Net Neutrality.

Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.)

Branch Heller of Wilmington led a group of Net Neutrality supporters to meet with Brian J. Bushweller, the state director for Senator Carper. “We informed Brian that we wanted Senator Carper to sign on as a co-sponsor of the Dorgan-Snowe bill (S.215),” Heller reports.

“Mainly we presented two aspects: small business’ lack of ability to stay competitive, and the benefit to the public of having the freedom of unfettered access to information,” reports Marilyn Green, who attended the meeting with Heller. “That’s it in a nutshell.”

Rep. Mary Fallin (R-Okla.)

John Hoke a publisher from Oklahoma City met with Rep. Fallin’s aide Denise Northrup. “We are a small family business and we would run the risk of being shut out, or at best, paying for Web recognition,” Hoke reports. “[Northrup] was very receptive and said she would take the issue to Rep. Fallin. I think we had a positive impact with each of us offering a different but effective perspective.”

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)

Joshua Fidel a systems administrator from Medina, Ohio led a group in an April 12 meeting with Senator Sherrod Browns (D-Ohio) deputy director, Beth Thames. “As a System Administration Manager, it’s incredibly important to me that no traffic shaping is allowed to take place,” Fidel reports. Fidel told the staffer that a world without Net Neutrality would “hurt Internet businesses of all sizes … and create a significant barrier to entry.”

Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.)

“We had a very productive meeting. Everyone worked well together and several of us will continue to work together in the future,” wrote technology instructor Andrea Miller of her meeting with representatives of Sen. Jim Webb’s Richmond office.

Miller continues:

“I explained how both large and small companies would be affected. Brian and Scott both spoke about what would change in large organizations and about the fact that the telcos are already making millions of dollars for their services. Ken explained how smaller businesses would be impacted (and how some would be eliminated). Catherine spoke to how former foster care children and current foster parents would lose group support and informational assets. Tom Wolfe explained that his law firm would certainly be able to pay whatever additional costs might be exacted, but that many of his clients would not fare so well.”

Rep. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.)

Rep. Murphy: Fighting corporate abuse

Michael Glenn of West Simsbury, Connecticut met on March 24 with Rep. Murphy. Murphy told Glenn and other SavetheInternet.com activists that one of the main reasons he ran for Congress was to keep in check corporate abuses. “He told us he had a meeting scheduled with telecom lobbyists and he would let us know how those encounters go.” Stay tuned.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)

Mark Page, a retired engineer from Little Compton, R.I., spent about two hours in Senator Whitehhouse’s Providence office talking about Net Neutrality with the senator’s state director, George Carvalho. “He came out of the meeting with a good basic understanding of what Net Neutrality is and how it affects every aspect of Internet freedom for the person on the street and as business owners.”

Page continues:

“Mr. Carvalho learned what we wanted him to learn. There was no hesitation on the issues, everyone made their presentations with conviction. There was no doubt that the people at that meeting really cared about this issue and that it bothered some and really pissed off others. … I told Mr. Carvalho, don’t let the senator not know about this issue. When this bill comes up, make sure he goes up on the Hill and votes against letting the big telecom’s take over the Internet.”

Rep. Steve Kagen (D-Wis.)

“We had a reasonable assurance from the aide that Congressman Kagen would vote on the right side of the issue,” reports Lon C Ponschock of Appleton, Wisconsin, who joined other activists at an April 18 meeting with Kagen’s office. “I’m glad I went and I thank you and Free Press and SavetheInternet.com for doing this important work,” writes Lon.

Rep. Pallone Hears from His Constituents

Other Recent Meetings:

Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) on February 23

Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-N.Y.) on February 27

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) on February 22

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) on February 23

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) on February 23

Rep. Henry Johnson (D-Ga.) on March 7

Rep. Jane Harman (D- Calif.) on 30-March

Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) on April 3

Rep. Gonzales With Neutrality Supporters

Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas) on April 3

Rep. John Shimkus (R-Illinois) on April 4

Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas) on April 5

Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Arizona) on April 11

Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colorado) on April 12

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) on April 12

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) on April 13

Rep. Betty Sutton (D-Ohio) on April 13

Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) on April 16

If you want to organize a meeting with your representative, please contact Ira Horowitz at ihorowitz@freepress.net

America needs a national broadband policy, not more excuses from the broadband companies.

This point was driven home once again with the release of new broadband data that places the United States now 15th out of the 30 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) nations in per capita broadband use.

The “Hands Off” Approach: America Slips Further Behind

The U.S. had slipped from our 12th place ranking just six months ago when we dropped from the fourth place ranking we held in 2001. And our free fall will continue as long as we allow phone and cable companies to dictate broadband policy in Washington and monopolize broadband access across the country.

A Country Without a Plan

The countries at the top of the OECD’s list have true national broadband policies. Thomas Bleha recently explained in Foreign Affairs that America’s lag “is arguably the result of the Bush administration’s failure to make a priority of developing these networks. In fact, the United States is the only industrialized state without an explicit national policy for promoting broadband.”

Instead, U.S. policymakers and the FCC have left development of domestic broadband to the whims of predatory ISPs, which dole out untold millions in campaign contributions and fees to Washington lawyers, lobbyists and P.R. consultants to fight against efforts to serve the public interest and fight for more corporate benefits and giveaways.

The Telco Swindle

It’s “sheer hypocrisy” for companies like AT&T and Verizon to scream for deregulation when they themselves are largely to blame for our broadband decline. As Internet guru Cory Doctorow wrote, these phone and cable giants base their business on “government-granted extraordinary privileges.”

But these privileges extend little further than their bank accounts.

Meanwhile, America is losing ground to Japan, France, Canada, the Netherlands and other developed nations. We now have slower speeds at higher prices than any other developed country in the world. Yet the handful of ISPs that control access in this country continue to reap massive and growing profits — more than a $115 billion dollars in 2006 alone.

Still, most U.S. homes can access only “basic” broadband, which is among the slowest, most expensive, and least reliable in the developed world. And it’s not getting any better. According to the OECD report, the United States ranks 20th out of 30 nations in the growth rate of broadband penetration over the past year.

The ‘Hands Off’ Approach = Billions in Losses

America’s intensely “hands-off” system of recent years has resulted in a marketplace dominated by the few. Earlier this year, Richard Hoffman of InformationWeek reported that American broadband “doesn’t represent the true state of the United States as a technology leader. Laissez-faire isn’t a viable stance if the goal is to compete most effectively against other industrialized nations.”

Neutrality No Harm to AT&T’s Bottom Line AT&T just reported a first-quarter profit of $2.8 billion, compared to $1.4 billion in the 2006 first quarter — its eighth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. The company’s shares have risen a whopping 11 percent since it signed on to Net Neutrality conditions in its BellSouth merger.

“Those nations able to craft genuinely forward-looking telecommunications policies that promote universal access as well as enhancing competition, and which can balance short-term market forces against long-term national priorities, will reap the current and future benefits of increased economic productivity,” Hoffman concludes.

The consequences of a policy vacuum will resonate for generations, said S. Derek Turner, research director of Free Press and principal author of “Broadband Reality Check,” which calls on U.S. leaders to get behind a vision that will regain our position as the world leader in technology.

“The growth trends indicate that the United States is likely to continue to fall behind the rest of the world in broadband penetration, which will have lasting and significant effects on U.S. economic performance.”

Turner found that the benefits of higher broadband penetration accumulate exponentially. “Thus even a minor increase in our ranking has a tremendous positive impact on American consumers,” he said. “If broadband penetration were 50 percent of all U.S. homes [it's now at approximately 40 percent], economists estimate that consumers would realize a $38 billion annual surplus. If household broadband penetration were at 95 percent, the consumer surplus would be $350 billion.”

Getting Back on Track

At a Senate Commerce Committee hearing Wednesday on broadband competitiveness, SavetheInternet.com members Free Press, Consumers Union and the Consumer Federation of America will urge Congress to pursue a comprehensive national broadband policy that enhances competition, fosters neutrality, protects free speech, expands opportunities to bring new providers into the marketplace, and uses economic incentives to stimulate investment in underserved areas. (Follow this link for more on our Senate testimony)

The data coming out of the OECD make this even more urgent. It’s time we regained control of our broadband destiny by creating a national plan that puts our future back on the right track.

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) on Friday wrote that the phone companies’ plan to restrict access to content on the Web “would harm libraries and library users.” Boucher joined major library associations in calling for clear Net Neutrality rules to prevent this abuse.

“Libraries are now providing unprecedented access to information through public Internet service, digital media, and online publications,” Boucher wrote in an op-ed distributed by Main Street Newspapers. “As more of the educational resources that we rely on are offered in a digital format it is essential that the ability of libraries to provide this content to the public be vigorously defended.”

Rep. Boucher: Another Member of Congress for Net Neutrality

Boucher called for “strict network neutrality rules to prevent the creation of a two-lane Internet, where communications companies give some content providers preferential treatment while limiting the ability of Internet users to access the sites and services of their choice.”

The Virginia representative was referring to comments by executives at AT&T and Verizon who plan to insert their companies as the Web’s new content gatekeepers, “not only charging their end user customers for an Internet connection, but also assessing a fee on websites for users to reach them more quickly.”

“Essentially, what these executives are proposing is the creation of a two-lane Internet where larger, more established Web sites with financial resources could squeeze out smaller, emerging Web sites.”

This is why major library groups, including the Association of Research Libraries and the American Library Association, are active member of the SavetheInternet.com Coalition.

“Such restrictions would harm libraries and library users by potentially preventing them from accessing the content and Web sites which they prefer,” he added. “Information would no longer be able to flow seamlessly over the Internet and the unprecedented access to educational materials that the Internet provides will be threatened.”

John Edwards has joined the growing list of presidential candidates to voice their support for Net Neutrality. “We need Net Neutrality,” Edwards told Howard University students in a recent audience Q&A.

“Information vehicles like YouTube, the Internet at large, blogging, video blogging, all these things are ways for democracy to flourish. They’re ways for ordinary Americans to participate in the process,” he said.

Watch Edwards in Action

“There’s a debate going in America right now about something called Net Neutrality, which goes to this very issue,” he said. “I am a strong believer in Net Neutrality. I believe it is enormously important.”

Edwards added:

“This goes to the heart and soul of democracy. Because, if Democracy is going to work in this country, then we want people to be well informed and we want a wide variety of diverse voices to be heard. And that’s what is at issue with these media conglomerates … We really have to stay on top of this because what we see flourishing at the grassroots can be stomped on if we’re not careful.”

Edwards joins other prominent candidates (Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson) and potential ones (Al Gore) among those who have come out for this basic principle of Internet freedom.

As the presidential campaigns kick into higher gear expect to hear Net Neutrality discussed more and more along the trail.

The Internet has become a cornerstone for any well-functioning democracy. It’s critical that candidates share their views on keeping it open for political ideas and grassroots participation.

SavetheInternet.com was nominated today in two categories for the 2007 Webby Awards: “Best Activist Website” and “Best Documentary Video.”

The Webbies are the Internet’s premiere award — what the New York Times called “the Oscars of the Internet.”

Vote for Net Neutrality

A nominating board of experts selected SavetheInternet.com among 8,000 entries from across the United States and more than 60 countries.

You can help out by voting for SavetheInternet.com in “Webby People’s Voice” category, which allows the public to vote in their favorites as well.

It’s not the easiest process, so here’s a quick guide:

• Register to vote by clicking here.

• Vote for our Web site under the “Activism” category by clicking on “Website,” scrolling down to “Society,” clicking on “Activism” and casting your vote.
• Vote for our video in the “News/Documentary/Public Service” category by clicking on “Online Film & Video,” clicking again on “News/Documentary/Public Service”and casting your vote.

A quick tip of the hat to all of you — from the grassroots activists to the Web developers — who made this a truly people-powered effort.

Exposure via the Webbies is a good opportunity to engage more people in the fight for a neutral, faster and more accessible Internet.

Act now. Voting closes April 27.

As if telco Astroturfing wasn’t bad enough.

Bruce Kushnick of Teletruth this week exposed the dirty ways that AT&T and Verizon further manipulate public opinion by “co-opting” not-for-profit groups and aligning their leaders against Net Neutrality — even when it’s not in the best interests of their constituents.

Over the last few weeks groups representing minorities, disabled and low-income constituents have been hyping AT&T and Verizon efforts to stop any Net Neutrality legislation, Kushnick writes.

These groups appear to be saying that blacks, Hispanics, seniors, poor, deaf or disabled persons universally oppose the principle that maintains the Internet’s level playing field — and that they want to help “these ‘poor’ misunderstood companies” deliver better services.

But there’s more to it than that.

Follow the Money

“What do these groups have in common?” asks Kushnick. “They all receive funding from AT&T and/or Verizon, and then lobby for them.”

This is nothing new. Over the past decade, the phone companies have left a trail of broken promises to deliver faster broadband to disadvantaged populations in exchange for government giveaways and favorable P.R. from their community leaders.

Taken alone, this is outrageous. But it’s only one shady tactic in the phone companies’ multi-million dollar campaign to destroy the principle that prevents them from manipulating (they like to say “shaping”) content on the Internet and taking away users’ ability to choose for themselves.

Coin-Operated Analysis

According to Ed Mierzwinski of SavetheInternet.com member U.S. PIRG, creating such propaganda has long been the business model of one of the Bells’ favorite PR firms — Issue Dynamics.

Blogging about Issue Dynamics in 2005, Mierzwinski reported that the company helped create a “think tank” known as the New Millennium Research Council (NMRC) with the sole intention of dressing up Bell-friendly opinions and hoisting them before the public as objective economic analysis.

NMRC is just one in a long line of coin-operated think tanks — a list that includes the Phoenix Center, Heartland Institute, Progress and Freedom Foundation and the Cato Institute, among others — that routinely trade industry-friendly analysis for corporate dollars.

Selling Out the Public

And this brand of sock puppetry is just one voice in the Telco choir — a group including “consumery” sounding groups and pro-competition sounding payola pundits, among other PR firms and lobbyists. They have all been convened to create “a very loud ’sound wall’ of consumer support that actually doesn’t exist,” according to Karl of Broadband Reports.

It’s a collection of shills and sellouts, which in 2006 cost the phone companies more than $175 million to assemble. It’s money spent at the expense of those who most need access to a fast and neutral Internet.

About these groups Kushnick concludes: “While they themselves benefit from the phone companies’ funding, [they] certainly harm their own constituents.”

Net Neutrality should be debated openly, based upon the merits of the issue. But with so many players secreting away telco money to spread propaganda, it’s hard to separate those on the take from those who really want to make a better Internet for us all.