New York forces T-Mobile to drop data caps on low-income home internet plans

New York’s attorney general announced that T‑Mobile will have to stop applying monthly data caps to its low‑cost home internet plans for eligible low‑income households.

The Affordable Broadband Act requires qualifying households to obtain at least 25 Mbps for $15 a month or 200 Mbps for $20 a month without extra taxes or equipment fees, and obliges providers to make reasonable efforts to promote these low‑cost options. The AG’s office found that T‑Mobile throttled speeds to as low as 650 kilobits per second after a customer used 50 GB of data – a limit that could be reached in about four days of typical use – and that the plans were only offered where the carrier had 5G service and were hidden from search‑engine results.

"Reliable and affordable internet service is a basic need for all New Yorkers, but T-Mobile flouted the law designed to help vulnerable New Yorkers access it," Attorney General Letitia James said. "My office is committed to seeing the Affordable Broadband Act realize its goal of ensuring that New Yorkers in need are not denied access to affordable home internet. I encourage all eligible New Yorkers to enroll in a low-cost home internet plan through the ABA."