Former FCC commissioner joins telecom group as top adviser

Former Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Robert McDowell is joining the tech and telecommunications lobbying group Mobile Future as its chief public policy adviser.

The group, which counts among its members AT&T and Verizon, has been lobbying against Obama-era regulations such as net neutrality and the recently repealed internet privacy rules.

“Mobile Future works tirelessly for tomorrow’s wireless connectivity needs, and I am excited and honored to lead this visionary association’s policy and advocacy efforts,” McDowell said in a statement.

{mosads}McDowell, a Republican, stepped down from the FCC in 2013 after seven years on the commission.

He has been a critic of the 2015 net neutrality rules that require internet service providers to treat all web traffic equally. 

McDowell is also a partner at Cooley LLP, where he advises clients on telecom issues.