New York’s agreement with T-Mobile is intended to make the company’s Affordable Broadband Act home internet plans easier for eligible households to find and use. It requires changes to the plans, but the announcement does not establish that those changes have already taken effect. The deal matters in a city where access remains uneven: the New York City Council Data Team reports that 19 community districts had more than 33% of households without a broadband subscription, many in the Bronx and high-poverty areas.
What T-Mobile is required to change
Under the agreement announced by Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, T-Mobile must remove data caps from its Affordable Broadband Act plans and provide download speeds of 25 Mbps, except when network congestion requires a temporary reduction. The plans must also be available wherever T-Mobile offers home internet, including areas without 5G, and the company must make its plan webpage discoverable by search engines, according to the New York State Office of the Attorney General.
The state investigation examined whether the plans provided usable service after customers reached a monthly allowance. The Attorney General’s office said T-Mobile’s $15 plan had a 50-gigabyte cap; after that, speeds fell to 650 kilobits per second, a reduction of more than 97%, according to WGRZ. WRGB reported the office’s estimate that a typical customer could use the allowance in about four days.
The Attorney General’s office also said the company limited the discounted plans to areas with 5G service, despite offering home internet in some 4G areas capable of supporting the advertised speeds, and coded its website to keep plan information out of search results. These are findings described by the state as part of its investigation; the agreement sets out required changes rather than confirming they have been completed.
How the state plans fit into New York City’s landscape
The Council Data Team’s district figures identify where broadband subscriptions are less common; they do not provide a borough-by-borough ranking or show that the T-Mobile agreement will resolve those gaps. New York City also has a separate effort for some residents: the Mayor’s Office said in August 2023 that Big Apple Connect reached 220 NYCHA facilities and 150,000 households, providing free in-home internet and basic cable. The city reported earlier that year that enrollment had passed 100,000 NYCHA households, about 75% of those eligible. That program is distinct from the statewide discounted plans.
Prices, eligibility and service limits
New York’s Affordable Broadband Act requires large internet providers to offer eligible households a plan for $15 a month at speeds of at least 25 Mbps, or $20 a month at speeds of at least 200 Mbps. Eligibility may be based on household income or participation by a household member in programs including Medicaid, SNAP, HEAP, qualifying utility affordability benefits, free or reduced-price school lunch, or the Senior Citizen or Disability Rent Increase Exemption, according to the Attorney General’s office. Prices include taxes and equipment fees, while available providers, plans and speeds can vary by location.
The law does not cover mobile or dial-up service. New Yorkers can check eligibility and compare available plans through the state ConnectALL Office’s consumer resources. The statute also calls for the Department of Public Service to begin reviewing whether the minimum download speed should rise within two years of the relevant section’s effective date, and at least every five years after that, according to the New York State Senate.
