While the article doesn't mention the tobacco lobby being behind it, it would be incredibly easy to see.

After all, the companies that are being hit primarily make non-brand pods for Juul. Of course Altria (for example) would want to shut that down.

the tobacco lobby has been VERY active over recent years at a national level trying to get the FDA to crack down on vaping, so that only things like Juul and other "buy at the convenience store disposable" brands are available... the market which is pretty much completely dominated by the big four companies.

They would love to to get rid of off brands and local mom and pop shops.

I don't know about the rest of the country, but since I'm currently sitting in the EPB market that was one of the two area submitted to the FCC I'll have to disagree with you.

Our entire local service area is (more or less) fiber ready, with full speed access available from office complexes down to lower-income residential areas. The sections that initially rolled out weren't "Come to our city" showplaces, but instead established areas both commercial and residential.

At my home (in an average suburban neighborhood) I pay _I believe_ $70/mo for gigabit access (which btw is bidirectional... I test out at around 930mbps both upstream and downstream to the EPB central servers).

And since this is Chattanooga, there are plenty of backwoods trailers and rural houses that are really enjoying their new high speed access without having to be in a "highly profitable" section of town.

And believe me, the areas here and there that don't have access yet are pretty much champing at the bit to get it and be able to drop Comcast like a hot potato. (Which might I add, you should see the Comcast ads around here. They almost seem desperate, but that might just be personal bias) ;)