Consumer advocates believe that Connected Nation is little more than a policy and PR front for the nation's largest carriers. The group was crafted under the guise of mapping and promoting broadband availability, but with a board of directors stocked with some of the biggest lobbying names in telecom, critics argue the group's real goal is to actually prevent more substantive reform, derailing more accurate mapping efforts that highlight competitive shortcomings. Another alleged function of the group is to steer taxpayer funds away from smaller competitors, and toward the group's principle incumbent backers. With that in mind, it's not too surprising to see Rep Joe Barton (R-TX), traditionally one of AT&T's favorite politicians, pushing new legislation that attaches a few strings to broadband stimulus funds. The idea that taxpayer funds could be spent on a mapping operation that's really an AT&T lobbying apparatus in disguise is worrisome, as is the fact this data wouldn't be independently verifiable or owned by the taxpayer. Despite lofty rhetoric from carriers, their best interest remains in portraying a broadband market that's robust, highly competitive and largely without gaps -- given correcting any shortcomings could result in greater competition and reduced revenues.
