Telecom & Cable
AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Charter Communications collectively control U.S. broadband, wireless, and cable television infrastructure. The industry's trade groups — NCTA (The Internet & Television Association), CTIA (the wireless lobby), and USTelecom — are among Washington's top lobbying spenders, fighting net neutrality, blocking municipal broadband, defending favorable spectrum auctions, and shaping FCC merger reviews. AT&T's $5.4 million in contributions to members reviewing the AT&T-Time Warner merger was documented during the deal; Comcast's failed Time Warner Cable bid and successful NBCUniversal acquisition illustrate the industry's regulatory lobbying playbook.
Party Breakdown
Top 10 Recipients
No tracked funding data available for this industry yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do telecom and cable companies spend on lobbying?
AT&T, Comcast, Verizon, and their trade groups (NCTA, CTIA, USTelecom) collectively spend more than $80 million annually on federal lobbying. AT&T is consistently among the top five corporate lobbying spenders in any given year. Their contributions flow heavily to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Commerce Committee, which oversee the FCC.
What happened to net neutrality?
Net neutrality — the rule that internet providers must treat all traffic equally — was enacted under the FCC in 2015, repealed in 2017 under Chairman Ajit Pai (a former Verizon lawyer), partially restored in 2024, and is again under threat. The industry has spent more than a decade lobbying against the rule, with Comcast, AT&T, and Verizon arguing it discourages broadband investment. Independent analysis has not supported this claim.
Why is U.S. broadband so expensive compared to peer countries?
U.S. broadband prices are among the highest in the developed world while speeds lag. The primary cause is lack of competition: most U.S. households have only one or two broadband providers. The industry has lobbied successfully to block municipal broadband in roughly 20 states (laws often written by ALEC), to prevent the FCC from enforcing competition rules, and to limit federal broadband subsidy programs to incumbent providers rather than open competition.