AT&T announced it will no longer offer its 5G Internet Air service in New York this week in response to the state's decision. Affordable Broadband Act will go into effect on Wednesday. The company says existing users can continue using the service for 45 days without any charges, giving them time to find an alternative broadband provider. according CNET.
New York originally passed the Affordable Broadband Act in 2021, but the law was stalled for several years due to pushback and legal challenges from broadband lobbyists. Last December, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene, allowing the law to finally take effect this month.
This follows Congress' decision not to continue funding the federal Affordable Connectivity Program last year, which began during the Covid-19 pandemic and offered discounts of up to $30 per month on home internet for qualifying households.
The law requires internet providers with more than 20,000 customers to offer two affordable broadband plans to low-income households that qualify for welfare benefits such as Medicaid or the National School Lunch Program. One plan offers download speeds of at least 25 Mbps for no more than $15 per month, while the other increases that to speeds of up to 200 Mbps for a maximum of $20 per month.
AT&T's Internet Air service offered New York residents download speeds of 40 to 140 Mbps (temporarily slowing down when the company's 5G network was busy) for $55 a month, or $60 for those who didn't opt-in. for automatic payment. Instead of complying with the new law and offering discounted Internet Air, AT&T ended its home Internet services in New York. The company also does not offer home Internet via fiber or DSL in the state.
“While we are committed to providing reliable and affordable Internet service to customers across the country, New York's broadband law imposes harmful fee regulations that make it uneconomical for AT&T to invest in and expand our broadband infrastructure. in the state,” the company said in a statement. provided to CNET and <a target="_blank" href="https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/01/att-complies-with-law-requiring-cheap-internet-by-ending-a-service-in-ny/”>Ars Technique.
