Slew of ISPs Agree to Pai's Suggestion They Not Cut Off Service During Pandemic

Dozens of ISPs of all sizes agreed to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai's suggestion the industry not take adverse action against customers for the next two months amid the coronavirus pandemic, he announced Friday morning. Those companies won't terminate service to any residential or small-business customers because of inability to pay due to such disruptions; will waive any related late fees; and will open their Wi-Fi hot spots to anyone. Pai is also seeking that the providers make other changes, including related to bandwidth caps.

"Yesterday, in multiple phone calls with broadband and telephone service providers and trade associations," Pai "emphasized the importance of keeping Americans connected as the country experiences serious disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak," the agency said. Many agreed to what Pai coined as the Keep Americans Connected Pledge, and the FCC said they "will implement it as soon as possible."

Among them, the agency said, are AlticeUSA, Atlantic Broadband, AT&T, Burlington Telecom, Cable One, Central Arkansas Telephone Cooperative, CenturyLink, Charter, Cincinnati Bell, Citizens, Comcast, Consolidated Communications, Cox Communications, Frontier, Google Fiber, Grande Communications, Granite Telecommunications, Great Plains Communications, Mediacom, RCN, Sonic, Sprint, Starry, TDS, T-Mobile, TracFone, Uniti Fiber, US Cellular, Vast Broadband, Verizon, Vyve and Windstream.

Pai is also urging providers to do the following, a spokesperson emailed: "Expand and improve low-income broadband programs" and start such initiatives if they lack them; "relax data cap policies as appropriate"; waive long-distance and overage fees, also "as appropriate"; work with "schools and libraries on remote learning"; and "prioritize the connectivity needs of hospitals and healthcare providers."

The FCC said ACA Connects, the Competitive Carriers of America, CTIA, Incompas, NCTA, NTCA, USTelecom and the Wireless ISP Association endorsed the plan. Some groups confirmed their endorsement, in emails in the minutes after the FCC news release. Others didn't comment immediately.

"This is a challenge, but one that our industry will strive mightily to meet,” said NCTA CEO Michael Powell. Others saying similar included Incompas CEO Chip Pickering and WISPA. CTIA CEO Meredith Baker said the wireless industry is "committed to serving our customers and continuing to provide access to the world’s most reliable wireless networks."