Complete Story
08/24/2017
Broadband Redlining Complaint Filed Against AT&T at FCC
Attorney Daryl Parks has filed a formal FCC complaint against AT&T on behalf of three African American low-income residents of Cleveland alleging digital redlining.
The complainants--Joanne Elkins, Hattie Lanfair, and Rochelle Lee--allege that "wealthier and predominantly white areas have gotten premium upgradable high speed broadband access at bullet speed," while the three complainants "receive slow speeds at a rate as low as 1.5 mbps downstream or less, although they pay AT&T for high speed access."
They say that is unjust and unreasonable discrimination in violation of the Communications Act. They also allege that is part of a pattern of discrimination by AT&T nationwide, relying on a study by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance.
The parties say they met with AT&T in July, which "flatly" denies that it is redlining, hence the suit. The complaint concedes AT&T offered to expand a 5G wireless broadband pilot program, but says that is not sufficient.
The FCC's definition of high-speed broadband is 4 Mbps downstream.
