Net Neutrality, Munibroadband and the SOTU Shout Out.

[Commentary] For all us telecom geeks out there, the big deal was the President’s rather brief shout out on network neutrality and municipal broadband.

“I intend to protect a free and open internet, extend its reach to every classroom, and every community, and help folks build the fastest networks, so that the next generation of digital innovators and entrepreneurs have the platform to keep reshaping our world,” the President said.

That little paragraph actually packs some good punch in Washington speak. What the President was actually doing is sending a strong signal to the FCC that the White House still has their back on this, stay the course, keep on schedule for the February vote.

It was also a clear message to Congress, where Republicans have pushed back against these priorities: “You know all that stuff I said in November about Title II and that stuff I said last week about munibroadband? I meant it. Srsly. This is not something where I will take a quicky “compromise” that sells out the Internet to get this issue settled. It’s not peripheral, it’s not a chip to get traded. It’s part of a core agenda to develop infrastructure, promote job creation and innovation, and provide opportunity to working class and middle class Americans. So either work with me for real or stay out of our way.”