AT&T and Verizon have unsurprisingly come out against the FCC's new network neutrality push. "AT&T has long supported the principle of an open Internet and has conducted its business accordingly," says AT&T's top policy man Jim Cicconi, joining a chorus of carriers this week suddenly pretending they support rules governing their network management.

Calling wireless the "most competitive consumer market in America," Cicconi warned that such rules are impractical because of the bandwidth concerns on wireless networks, which in AT&T's case are partially self inflicted given intentionally lower wireless CAPEX despite the clear demands of Apple iPhone users. Cicconi's suggestion that network neutrality principles shouldn't adhere to wireless networks would seem to run contrary to statements he made just one year ago, when he suggested that broadband principles should be applied "across the board."

Verizon similarly says they're working hard with their "Open Development Initiative" to embrace open networks without government prodding, though as we've explored, the initiative is more public relations than substance so far.