While much of the focus has been on Google and Verizon when it comes to net neutrality as of late, the Wall Street Journal has reported that lobbyists began a new set of talks among a much wider group on Wednesday.
The Information Technology Industry Council is a lobbying firm which represents dozens of companies, including Apple, AOL, Cisco, HP, Microsoft, Nokia, and RIM among others. Reports indicate Microsoft is in attendance as is Cisco. AT&T and Verizon are also involved in the negotiations, but Google is not.
An ITIC spokesperson is characterizing the meeting as an attempt to generate a net neutrality deal that could gain "broad cross-sector support." It did mention the Google-Verizon deal, and it may be quite possible that the meeting could be used to drum up support for that particular proposal, although the exact topics of the meetings are unknown.
A Google spokesperson confirmed that the company is not part of these new round of talks. Other companies that the ITIC represents did not return requests for confirmation on whether or not they are part of any discussion. One party is notably absent, and that's the Federal Communications Commission.
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