How Silicon Valley won the day over some of the most powerful lobbyists in Washington

The expected victory on network neutrality marks a key achievement for tech firms after a months-long campaign against some of the communications industry’s most sophisticated lobbying operations. And it holds major implications for the way consumers experience the Internet.

If all goes as expected, the FCC will pass rules that would limit Internet providers from auctioning off the fastest download speeds to the highest bidders, all but ensuring that Web firms -- not a cable company -- will retain control of what consumers see on their browsers. It’s easy to point to the coming FCC’s vote as another indication Silicon Valley’s time has come in Washington. But here’s the reality: The industry has already arrived, and in a major way. Tech companies such as Google, Netflix and Facebook have amassed tremendous political power in recent years, with lobbying budgets to match. Now that power is evolving. Not content with simply settling into Washington, tech companies are increasingly clashing with more established interests. At the same time, their expanded role in policy battles is also revealing how “Silicon Valley” -- a buzzword once used as Washington shorthand for all technology firms -- is hardly as monolithic as the term implies.