Analyst: Downturn Could be Argument Against Net Neutrality Legislation

Appearing on C-SPAN's The Communicators, Paul Glenchur, a telecom analyst for the Stanford Group Co., says the economic meltdown could wind up working against passing Network Neutrality legislation in the next Congress. "I could see investment in cable networks as being one of the potential drivers of economic growth. I think they [cable, telephone networks] will play that card in making the case against heavy net neutrality legislation." If so, that would simply be an exclamation point on an economic argument cable has made all along--that network neutrality legislation, or even the threat of it, can discourage the kind of investment in infrastructure necessary to roll out broadband to underserved communities and expand the pipes for all those band-width heavy applications, like video, that are becoming the currency of online entertainment and community (YouTube, Hulu). But Glenchur also said he saw a chance for "the stars to begin to align" for legislation if network neutrality legislation supporter Barack Obama wins.