FCC Urges Internet, Telephone Service Providers to Keep Americans Connected

The FCC opened up the Keep Americans Connected Pledge today to try and get data providers across the US to promise to their customers that they will keep their services active as the coronavirus threatens to put countless people under financial stress and disrupt their lives. A number of the companies you want to participate have already pledged to do as the FCC has asked.

Verizon was one of the first, but T-Mobile has now weighed in as well with their own promise. While Verizon is offering to help those impacted by COVID-19 in a financial way, T-Mobile has taken the extra step of giving everyone unlimited data and more mobile hotspot data to use.

Other companies that have signed on include AT&T, Sprint, Comcast, CentruyLink, Charter, Cox, Google Fiber, Tracfone, and many more.

The FCC is asking that they pledge to do the following:

• (1) not terminate service to any residential or small business customers because of their
  inability to pay their bills due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic;
• (2) waive any late fees that any residential or small business customers incur because of their
  economic circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic; and
• (3) open its Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.

Again, it hasn’t been made clear how everyone involved will want you to prove that coronavirus has impacted you, so we’ll update all of the related posts as we know.

// FCC