The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is demanding that Connecticut-based internet service provider Frontier Communications stop lying to customers and do things to actually deliver the high- speed internet it promises.
According to the order filed today in the U.S. for the Central District of California, Frontier Communications must install fiber optic cable to meet the needs of 60,000 California homeswithin the next four years.
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Frontier is also required to provide current customers with free and easy contract cancellations when it does not deliver the promised Internet connection speeds.
“ Frontier lied about its speeds and deceived customers by charging high-speed rates while offering slow service ,” said Samuel Levine , FTC’s Director of Consumer Protection
“Today's order requires Frontier to back up its high-speed claims. It also gives customers who are fooled by Frontier's lies the ability to drop their slow service easily and for free“.
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The FTC order includes additional provisions that will stop Frontier Communications' previous dishonest claims and behavior:
- Requires Frontier to substantiate its Internet speed claims to new and complaining customers and to inform customers when it is unable to do so;
- It requires Frontier to ensure it can deliver the internet service speeds it advertises before signing contracts and charging new customers.
- It prohibits Frontier from signing up new customers for DSL internet service in certain areas where there are a large number of users sharing the same networking equipment. This causes congestion, resulting in slower internet service.
- The company must notify existing customers who receive DSL internet service with speeds lower than advertised. In addition, these customers should have the right to change or cancel service without charge.
It is worth noting that the FTC had already sued Frontier in May 2021, alleging that the provider did not provide many of customers with the maximum speeds it had promised. Some customers had complained about Frontier's poor quality services. What's worse is that customers in the area do not have the option to switch to another provider to get better Internet.
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“The complaint alleges that Frontier violated the FTC Act and various state laws by misrepresenting the speeds of the Internet service it would provide to consumers and engaging in unfair consumer billing practices,” the FTC said at the time.
According to the FTC, today's provision will have the force of law once it is approved and signed by the Court.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
