AT&T killed 5G internet in New York over the $15 broadband law.
I heard this had something to do with so many people being able to fit into this bracket that it made it unreasonably costly for AT&T to support. Personally, I don’t know why such a contract would go to a big-tech company anyway. A local company could set up a secure(ish) wide-area network that’s not dependent on cellular. No more plutocrats, thanks! lol. Just my thoughts,
From what I understand this was a statewide law and there are a lot of people who use the 5G Internet in rural areas. Their only other option is satellite and Starlink is way too expensive.
The US gov did have the Affordable Connectivity Program going for a bit and it gave a $20 / 100Mb package that providers had to do for people who qualified, but that was basically a program where the gov made up the difference with reimbursement.
Apparently, this one was not that. The provider has to do it and there is no reimbursement. The provider just has to take the loss.
I’m all for social good as a National Government objective. I’m not all for Government requiring a participating business to operate at a loss unless it was (maybe) a penalty for wrongdoing.