Why are Comcast and AT&T trying to block millions in state money to boost Oakland’s high-speed internet?

Internet giants Comcast and AT&T are trying to prevent Oakland from receiving $14 million to build out its capacity for high-speed internet, the latest obstacle to the city’s efforts to close longstanding gaps in online access for its residents. In objections to Oakland’s latest share of a $3.87 billion California spending package, the two companies argued to the California Public Utilities Commision (CPUC) that the neighborhoods slated for enhanced fiber-optic infrastructure already enjoy faster internet speeds. Their evidence for that assertion has been kept confidential to everyone but the CPUC, which will review the objections and then decide if the $14 million — a spending plan known locally as “Oakland Connect” — can move forward. The companies’ claims run counter to speed tests run by the Oakland Unified School District, with help from the tech company HubbleIQ — that indicate over a third of 8,000 tested addresses experienced low download speeds.