New York sues Charter for defrauding customers

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman filed a lawsuit against Charter Communications and Spectrum-TWC – Charter’s NY subsidiary – for “defrauding New Yorkers over Internet speeds and performance.” The complaint alleges that customers paying for premium plans – 100, 200, and 300 Mbps – were receiving service 70 percent slower than promised with even slower wi-fi speeds. The AG’s investigation found that executives knew the company’s hardware and network were incapable of achieving the promised speeds, but advertised them nonetheless.

“The allegations in today’s lawsuit confirm what millions of New Yorkers have long suspected – Spectrum-Time Warner Cable has been ripping you off,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Today’s action seeks to bring much-needed relief to the millions of New Yorkers we allege have been getting cheated by Spectrum-Time Warner Cable for far too long. Even now, Spectrum-Time Warner Cable continues to offer Internet speeds that we found they cannot reliably deliver.”

The AG’s office is seeking restitution for NY customers and an end to Charter’s deceptive advertising practices. Read the full complaint here.

Links:

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Lawsuit Against Spectrum-Time Warner Cable And Charter Communications For Allegedly Defrauding New Yorkers Over Internet Speeds And Performance (New York Attorney General’s Office, Feb. 1, 2017)

The People of the State of New York VS Charter Communications, Inc. and Spectrum Management Holding Company, LLC (New York County, Feb. 1, 2017)

NY sues Charter/Time Warner Cable, alleges false promise of fast Internet (Ars Technica, Feb. 1, 2017)