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Lawyer Normal Tong Announces Settlement With Frontier Communications

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Attorney General William Tong

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08/31/2022

Attorney General Tong Announces Settlement With Frontier Communications to Broaden Higher-Pace Online Access, End Concealed Internet Rate, and Defend Customers From Unacceptable Promoting and Revenue Ways

Monetary and Injunctive Conditions Worth Over $60 Million

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney Normal William Tong these days announced a settlement with Frontier Communications worthy of around $60 million to dramatically grow obtain to high-speed net for Frontier buyers in economically distressed communities, close a concealed every month $6.99 world wide web surcharge, and force sizeable advancements in Frontier’s advertising and marketing and purchaser assistance. The settlement resolves a joint investigation by the Workplace of the Attorney General and Department of Consumer Defense into no matter whether Frontier deceived or misled shoppers in the marketing and profits of world wide web companies.

In this investigation, the places of work jointly reviewed about 1,400 client grievances about Frontier. These issues involved prices for devices presently returned, weak world-wide-web high-quality, unsatisfactory purchaser company, fees that exceeded promised costs, and rates that continued following products and services had been cancelled.

“Frontier failed Connecticut customers. Their DSL net top quality was gradual and unreliable, and their buyer services was unacceptable. They tacked on hidden service fees, charged family members for returned tools, and retained charging shoppers even after services had been cancelled. That ends now. Our settlement requires Frontier to invest in large-high-quality, substantial-speed fiber for communities devoid of satisfactory world wide web alternatives currently– bringing access to 40,000 households most harmed by the company’s sub-par DSL services. In addition, Frontier has agreed to overhaul their customer provider, and to close the concealed $6.99 regular monthly world wide web price that value Connecticut people $84 last year by itself. Frontier have to pay another $1 million to the state, and place up $200,000 to directly compensate individuals who have been wronged,” stated Legal professional Standard Tong. “We intend to maintain Frontier accountable to each and every phrase of this arrangement. If you continue to have any difficulties with Frontier, we want to hear from you.”

Consumers continuing to have troubles with Frontier world-wide-web provider should file a grievance on the internet with the Workplace of the Lawyer Standard listed here: https://www.dir.ct.gov/ag/criticism/.

“Internet is a significant utility for most persons, specifically via the worries of the previous many years,” claimed DCP Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull. “Improving purchaser provider and ending concealed fees is a positive end result for absolutely everyone, and the amplified entry to substantial-pace net promised by this settlement will reward our most economically distressed communities. Thank you to the hardworking staff members at DCP and the Legal professional General’s Place of work for their exertion in examining countless numbers of issues and reaching this settlement that will advantage Connecticut people.”

Today’s settlement requires Frontier to spend $42.5 million around the subsequent 3.5 several years to update existing, out-of-date DSL net service to fiber web. The agreement requires that at minimum fifty percent of individuals updates be manufactured in economically distressed communities, urban and rural, bringing substantial-pace, a lot more responsible world-wide-web to as lots of as 40,000 family members in want. The agreement provides protections for people provided the upgrade, together with a 45-day time period to make a decision no matter if to transition to fiber net, protections towards early termination or disconnection service fees if they elect to cancel Frontier provider, accessibility to new purchaser marketing costs, and information and facts about world-wide-web subsidies by way of the Inexpensive Connectivity Application (ACP). The ACP delivers a price reduction up to $30 per month on the charge of web support for suitable minimal-money individuals.

The agreement also forces Frontier to stop collecting a hidden $6.99 monthly “Internet Infrastructure Surcharge” which value individuals customers levied the surcharge about $84 for each year and an estimated $16 million statewide last year. The settlement additional necessitates Frontier to make a $1 million payment to the condition and put up $200,000 for credits and refunds to customers who filed problems commencing in 2019.

The agreement imposes a detailed list of accountability actions for the following six many years, which includes new selling price and billing disclosures, advertisement disclosures that deal with the company’s DSL representations, needs that the corporation supply promised speeds or deliver options for buyers who do not get promised speeds, assurances that the enterprise will employ transparent and honest cancellation and gear return procedures, and much more. Ought to the enterprise are unsuccessful to adhere to its significant-velocity internet upgrade commitments, the Office environment of the Attorney Normal has the ideal to seek $6 million in penalties.

Paralegal Specialist Casey Rybak, Lawful Investigator Caylee Ribeiro, Assistant Attorneys Typical Lauren Bidra, Brendan Flynn, John Wright, and Jose Rene Martinez, and Deputy Associate Lawyer Basic Mike Wertheimer, head of the Customer Safety Section assisted the Legal professional General in this make any difference.

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Twitter: @AGWilliamTong

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Facebook: CT Attorney Typical

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Media Call:

Elizabeth Benton
[email protected]

Purchaser Inquiries:

860-808-5318
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