CTIA spent more on lobbying Capitol Hill in...

from 2013’s Q4, however, when the association spent $3.57 million. CTIA lobbed widely this quarter, on issues from spectrum reallocation to data security, net neutrality to government surveillance. Quarterly lobbying disclosure reports are due April 21, but several lobbying firms, companies and associations have already begun filing theirs. Spending dipped for CEA, which spent $570,000 in the latest quarter lobbying on Internet regulation and provisions that would have killed the set-top box integration ban, and $660,000 the same time the year before -- and steeply below the $940,000 CEA spent in 2013’s Q4. The Computer & Communications Industry Association spent $200,000 in 2014’s Q1, up from $70,000 during the same period the year before. CCIA reported lobbying on several topics, from FCC spectrum auction rules to NSA surveillance to wireless competition issues. The Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance spent $35,200. Even when companies and associations have not filed, the reports by firms they hired have begun showing up. Comptel paid Capitol Resources $27,500 and the Cormac Group $30,000 in Q1. The latter’s report showed lobbying priorities included IP-to-IP interconnection, USF overhaul and net neutrality. Reports from several of Comcast’s many lobbying firms have appeared, many citing lobbying on the Comcast/Time Warner Cable proposed deal (CD April 14 p3). Aereo paid Bingham McCutchen $110,000 to lobby on issues “pertaining to antennas and broadcast television,” one form said. More reports will be filed in the days ahead.