AT&T Withdraws Its 5G Internet Service in New York Due to New Affordable Internet Law.
Current users have 45 days to find an alternative.
AT&T has made the decision to discontinue its 5G Air Internet service in New York, announced this week in response to the implementation of the state’s Affordable Broadband Act. The company has indicated that current users will be able to continue using the service for 45 days without incurring charges, providing them with a period to seek an alternative internet provider.
The Affordable Broadband Act was approved in New York in 2021, but its implementation had been delayed for several years due to opposition and legal challenges from telecommunications lobby groups. Last December, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to intervene, allowing the law to take effect this month.
This legislation comes after Congress decided not to continue funding the federal Affordable Connectivity Program last year, which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic and provided discounts of up to $30 per month on internet service to households meeting certain criteria.
The law requires that internet providers with more than 20,000 customers offer two affordable broadband plans for low-income households that qualify for social assistance 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 provides speeds of up to 200 Mbps for a maximum of $20 per month.
AT&T's Air Internet service provided New Yorkers with download speeds of 40 to 140 Mbps, costing $55 per month, or $60 for those who did not opt for the automatic payment option. Instead of complying with the terms of the new law and offering discounts on the service, AT&T has chosen to cease its home internet operations in the state. Additionally, the company does not provide home internet through fiber or DSL in New York.
AT&T stated that, while they are committed to providing reliable and affordable internet service nationwide, they believe that New York’s broadband law imposes harmful rate regulations that hinder investment and expansion of their broadband infrastructure in the state.