AT&T has just paralyzed California’s newly introduced net neutrality laws and blamed the state for why it can no longer provide certain data functions to consumers free of charge.
“We deplore the inconvenience to customers caused by California’s new ‘net neutrality’ law,” AT&T said in a statement. Wednesday blog post.
Last month, U.S. District Court Judge John Mendez ruled that the state’s net neutrality laws are could be officially enforced, which means wireless providers like AT&T must treat all internet traffic the same. California law has been in a limbo since 2018, as the Trump-era DOJ filed a lawsuit against the state, claiming it has no authority to enact its own net neutrality laws. California withheld law enforcement, and the case went nowhere. The DOJ officially dropped his case against California when the Biden government took over.
Under the new law, Internet service providers and wireless providers cannot intentionally block websites, accelerated bandwidth or money for specific online content. ISPs can no longer determine which websites, content or applications are preferred.
This means that AT&T no longer has the ability to offer so-called zero rating schemes, or data release for its subscribers. The service provider did this only by giving its internal streaming service, HBO Max, exemption so that customers streaming from the service would not see data usage counted towards their monthly limit. It’s about to change.
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After acquiring HBO-owned AT&T WarnerMedia in 2018, the company launched its HBO Max streaming service in May 2020. Because AT&T owns the streaming service, it decided that the data usage would not count toward customers’ monthly data records. AT&T said its “sponsored data” system actually allows any company to pay the carrier to release it from data caps.
“AT&T Mobility has for years invited any entity to become a wireless data sponsor under the same terms and conditions,” the company said in a statement.
It’s easy to say that when you own the streaming service, you are not counting on your customers’ data packages. However, AT&T has not announced what (or if) any other streaming services they are currently offering. It has been reported in the past that large streaming companies like Netflix paid AT&T to reduce buffer times, but currently streaming Netflix adds to your data location.
Finally, Judge Mendez denied that AT&T and other ISP lobby groups were instructed, and now the lobby groups appeal against the decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the ninth job. It seems that internet service providers are not done with the fight against net neutrality.
The bad news is that if you’re an AT&T subscriber bing HBO Max – which, well, sure – now, all streaming is going to eat up your monthly data allowance. But for the benefit of the internet, this is an advantage that should go.