The FCC and AT&T have finally settled their long-running battle over AT&T’s data throttling of “unlimited” customers. Reuters reports the two have reached a settlement in the case that began back in 2014.
While details of the settlement haven’t been announced, a recently published federal court ruling indicates the deal was reached on August 2nd, with both parties requesting a 90-day stay to allow the FTC to review the details. The deal is believed to include an injunction, as well as a monetary payment.
The FCC sued AT&T, saying it did not adequately inform its “unlimited” data plan customers of the potential for data throttling. This violated the Open Internet Transparency Rule, which mandates that “broadband access providers disclose accurate information sufficient to enable consumers to make informed choices regarding their use of broadband Internet services and to ensure they are not misled or surprised by the quality or cost of the services they actually receive.”
For its part, AT&T had denied any wrongdoing, and in a statement said:
“We will vigorously dispute the FCC’s assertions. The FCC has specifically identified this practice as a legitimate and reasonable way to manage network resources for the benefit of all customers, and has known for years that all of the major carriers use it. We have been fully transparent with our customers, providing notice in multiple ways and going well beyond the FCC’s disclosure requirements.”
