Governor Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an agreement with T-Mobile requiring the carrier to improve low-cost home internet offerings across New York, LongIsland.com reported.
The settlement resolves an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General into T-Mobile’s compliance with the state’s Affordable Broadband Act. Investigators found the carrier’s discount plans failed to meet statutory benchmarks, according to LongIsland.com.
The Affordable Broadband Act requires providers to offer high-speed broadband to income-eligible households for $15 per month at speeds of at least 25 Megabits per second, or $20 per month for speeds of at least 200 Megabits per second, LongIsland.com reported. The statute also mandates that companies make reasonable efforts to promote and advertise these discounted plans.
T-Mobile offers fixed wireless home internet by utilizing its existing mobile network infrastructure, LongIsland.com reported. While the company advertised a $15 plan with 25 Mbps download speeds, state investigators discovered that monthly data caps significantly slowed customer speeds below the legal threshold, LongIsland.com reported.
Reliable and affordable internet service is a basic need for all New Yorkers, but T-Mobile flouted the law designed to help vulnerable New Yorkers access it,
Attorney General James said in a statement reported by LongIsland.com.
Internet is a lifeline in today’s world: it’s essential for work, school, accessing emergency services, and staying in touch with loved ones. No New Yorker should struggle to access reliable and affordable internet, which is why my administration has made it a priority to ensure families and businesses across the state can thrive in today’s digital world,
Governor Hochul said, according to LongIsland.com.
Under the agreement, T-Mobile will eliminate data caps that previously throttled internet speeds for Affordable Broadband Act subscribers. The company will also expand availability of the discounted tiers into new geographic regions across New York and streamline the enrollment process for eligible residents, LongIsland.com reported.
The New York State Public Service Commission and the Department of Public Service maintain regulatory oversight over carrier compliance. Department officials initially flagged the compliance concerns and referred the matter to the Office of the Attorney General, LongIsland.com reported.
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