This time around the three carriers are forced to pay a combined fine of $10.22 million to a group of states for misleading customers about their unlimited plans and free phone promotions (via The Verge).
AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile lied to millions of consumers, making false promises of free phones and ‘unlimited’ data plans that were simply untrue. Big companies are not excused from following the law and cannot trick consumers into paying for services they will never receive.
In order to settle the lawsuits, AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon agreed to advertise their plans as “unlimited” only if there’s really no limit on how much data customers can use during a month.
The agreement also mentions that all the ads must “clearly and conspicuously” specify that restrictions on speed may apply and when exactly it will take effect. Finally, all three carriers must appoint a “dedicated representative” to field customer complaints.