T-Mobile spent slightly more on lobbying Capitol Hill...

T-Mobile spent slightly more on lobbying Capitol Hill in Q1 of 2014 than in the same period the year before. It spent $1.47 million this year, compared to $1.3 million last year. It spent slightly less in 2013’s Q4, at $1.43 million. That spending does not include outside lobbying firms T-Mobile has hired. Lobbying disclosure forms aren’t due until Monday, but several lobbying firms, companies and industry associations have begun filing this week (CD April 17 p9), although mostly firms rather than companies and associations so far. Other carriers have not filed their spending reports, though some lobbying firms hired on their behalf have. T-Mobile lobbied in favor of S-543, the Wireless Tax Fairness Act and HR-3086, the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act, it said. It lobbied widely on the spectrum provisions of the FCC National Broadband Plan as well as on consumer privacy and protection issues and “acquiring additional spectrum for commercial use before the House and Senate Armed Services Committees,” the carrier added. The American Cable Association’s lobbying spending stayed steady in Q1, with $130,000 spent on its own lobbying, as in multiple previous quarters. It again paid $100,000 to the Alpine Group, as it had in Q4 of 2013. ACA employed Alpine in Q1 of 2013 as well but paid the firm only $60,000 then.