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back to article Yes, AT&T, you do have to go to court with the FTC

AT&T will be forced to go to court with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over its handling of unlimited data plans. Judge Edward Chen has struck down (PDF) AT&T's motion to have the FTC complaint dismissed, an order that will force the US telco giant to face charges of violating the Federal Trade Commission Act. Last …

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  1. Gannettt

    "AT&T has maintained that its policies are perfectly legal and in line with practices used by other major US carriers"

    Since intense lobbying by trade organizations and corporations generally defines the scope of laws, this doesn't mean a thing.

    7 1 Reply
    1. frank ly
      Reply Icon

      The strange part of the argument is that "other companies do it so it must be fine".

      3 0 Reply
  2. Dan Paul

    Common Sense not AT&T's best attribute....

    Looks like that AT&T still don't understand that they SELL a COMMERCIAL PHONE SERVICE and ADVERTISE it.

    THAT makes them subject to the "Federal Trade Commission" who regulates trade and advertising in the US.

    The FCC that they have been lobbying for years has nothing to do with that aspect of the business.

    Funny thing, if you advertise "Unlimited" Data, you should try looking in a dictionary for the definition of "Unlimited" before you use the word. I'm pretty sure it does not include words like "Capped" or "Slowed Down" in that definition.

    7 0 Reply
    1. Ole Juul
      Reply Icon

      Re: Common Sense not AT&T's best attribute....

      Looks like that AT&T still don't understand that they SELL a COMMERCIAL PHONE SERVICE and ADVERTISE it.

      Their real mandate is to collect as much money as possible and by any means possible. The phone service is only something they begrudgingly do because they are forced to. To their way of thinking it's actually quite incidental.

      6 0 Reply
    2. Tom 13
      Reply Icon

      Re: looking in a dictionary

      It is worse than that. The FTC's position is actually that it is fine for AT&T to redefine those terms in the contract, but it must also then explicitly include them in the advertising and explain them to the customer.

      0 0 Reply
    3. Alan Brown Silver badge
      Reply Icon

      Re: Common Sense not AT&T's best attribute....

      > Funny thing, if you advertise "Unlimited" Data, you should try looking in a dictionary for the definition of "Unlimited" before you use the word. I'm pretty sure it does not include words like "Capped" or "Slowed Down" in that definition.

      It does in the UK's playbook (Ofcom and Trading Standards)

      0 0 Reply
  3. ecofeco Silver badge

    Rot in hell at&t

    That is all.

    5 0 Reply
  4. Zarno
    Facepalm

    But, but, we just lobbied against this... Now we like it?

    I find it rather funny, that AT&Terrible was so vehemently opposed to Common Carrier the last few months, but now is using it as a basis to try to weasel out of trouble.

    "We didn't want to be classified as Common Carrier, but now that we are, we don't answer to you. Nah nah nah nah!"

    Business as usual, whine about it, but find a way to make it benefit the bottom line.

    7 0 Reply
  5. Bob Dole (tm)

    What?

    What's going on with these federal agencies? They are starting to make sense and do the right thing.

    5 0 Reply
    1. Lars Silver badge
      Reply Icon
      Happy

      Re: What?

      Blame Obama,

      4 2 Reply
    2. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Thumb Up

      Re: What?

      Only took six years to get to this point. Unfortunately, it only takes six weeks for the pendulum to swing toward mass insanity.

      3 2 Reply
  6. Nameless Faceless Computer User

    Been there and done that

    It wouldn't be the first time I was ripped off by AT&T, only to have them be the subject of a lawsuit. I got a lovely $25 calling card out of the deal. Well, what did you expect? A REFUND?!

    4 0 Reply

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