The FCC and the CA PUC approved Charter?s $55 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable-Bright House with conditions, clearing the way for a "powerhouse? in the cable and broadband industry.

Verizon was supposed to deliver FiOS access to everyone in Philadelphia in exchange for a city-wide franchise agreement ? a deal similar to the one Verizon made in New York, where it also broke its promise to build out its all-fiber service.

Verizon shares are down 4 percent to $49.68 and the company warned that the ongoing strike by CWA and IBEW members could damage second quarter earnings.

Republican lawmakers want to deny subsidies to eligible participants, undoing recent progress made to the Lifeline program and maintaining the digital divide.

Transparency will incent companies to compete with one another for informed customers by providing the best service at the best price.

The launch will serve about 35,000 residential and small business customers in those markets.

The United States ranked 16th globally for average broadband speed with 14.2 Mbps., and Internet use increased rapidly among African Americans, Hispanics, and Alaska Natives.

?This subsidy is an important step toward ensuring that all Americans can share in the benefits that broadband access provides,? said CWA President Chris Shelton.

Somehow Netflix -- a vocal advocate of full transparency on the Internet -- thinks it doesn?t have to follow those same rules.