The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has sued Frontier Communications, accusing the company of lying about its internet speeds.
Internet speeds have become more important than ever, as unprecedented numbers of individuals have worked from home during the pandemic. The US already lags behind other developed countries, in terms of high-speed broadband, and the Biden administration has made broadband improvement a major part of its agenda.
Given the current climate, it’s not surprising Frontier is under scrutiny. The FTC has filed a lawsuit, joined by Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, in addition to the district attorneys’ offices of Los Angeles County and Riverside County for the State of California.
In a complaint, the FTC and its state partners allege that Frontier advertised and sold Internet service in several plans, or tiers, based on download speed. Frontier has touted these tiers using a variety of methods, including mail and online ads, and has sold them to consumers over the phone and online.
In reality, the FTC alleges, Frontier did not provide many consumers with the maximum speeds they were promised and the speeds they actually received often fell far short of what was touted in the plans they purchased.
In a statement, Frontier says it “believes the lawsuit is without merit,” and “will present a vigorous defense.”