AT&T discontinues 5G internet service in New York over new affordable internet law.

AT&T announced this week that it will no longer offer 5G internet air service in New York following the state’s action. affordable broadband law It comes into effect from Wednesday. The company says existing users can continue using the service for free for 45 days, giving them time to find an alternative broadband provider. According to CNET.

New York originally passed the Affordable Broadband Act in 2021, but backlash from broadband lobbying groups and legal challenges have stalled the law for years. Last December, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene, allowing the law to finally take effect this month.

This follows Congress’ decision last year not to continue funding the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, which launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and provided home internet discounts of up to $30 per month for eligible households.

By law, internet providers with more than 20,000 customers must offer two affordable broadband plans to low-income households eligible for social assistance benefits such as Medicaid or the National School Lunch Program. One plan offers download speeds of at least 25 Mbps for under $15 per month, while the other offers speeds of up to 200 Mbps for up to $20 per month.

AT&T’s Internet Air service offered download speeds of 40 to 140 Mbps (temporarily slow when the company’s 5G network is congested) to New Yorkers for $55 a month, or $60 for those who didn’t opt ​​for automatic payments. Instead of complying with the new law and offering Internet Air at a discount, AT&T ended its home Internet service in New York. The company also does not offer home internet over fiber or DSL in the state.

“We are committed to providing reliable, affordable internet service to customers across the country, but New York’s broadband laws impose harmful rate regulations that make it uneconomical for AT&T to invest in and expand its broadband infrastructure in the state,” the company said in a statement. “There is,” he said. provided to CNET and Ars Technica.