AT&T to ‘vigorously dispute’ FCC accusations
The company has been hit with a $100 million fine for allegedly throttling speeds for its ‘unlimited’ data plan customers.
The FCC has slapped AT&T with a $100 million fine—the largest in its history—for slowing down the internet service of its unlimited data plan customers after they hit a cap.
The Washington Post details the practice, which AT&T reportedly began in 2011.
The FCC found that when customers used up a certain amount of data watching movies or browsing the Web, AT&T “throttled” their Internet speeds so that they were much slower than normal. Millions of AT&T customers were affected by the practice, according to the FCC.
FCC chairman Tom Wheeler issued a statement that reads, “Consumers deserve to get what they pay for. Broadband providers must be upfront and transparent about the services they provide. The FCC will not stand idly by while consumers are deceived by misleading marketing materials and insufficient disclosure.”
AT&T denies wrongdoing, opting for the “everyone’s doing it” defense:
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