By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 11-10-21
Some high-profile Senate Republicans are asking the Department of Agriculture not to impose net neutrality conditions on broadband buildout subsidies, conditions that are essentially a USDA imposition of the FCC’s scrapped net neutrality rules.
In its rural development broadband ReConnect grant and loan program, applicants get a preference – 10 extra points in considering its application – for “applicants that commit to net neutrality.”
To get the extra thumb on the scale for their application, according to the USDA, an applicant must agree to several points – essentially the network neutrality rules the Republican-led FCC under chairman Ajit Pai eliminated over current acting chair Jessica Rosenworcel’s opposition and which Democrats want to reimpose. » Read More