AT&T settles class-action ETF case for $18M

AT&T Mobility agreed to settle a class-action suit that alleged its older, flat-rate early termination fees (ETF) were illegal, and will pay out $18 million as a result.

The case, filed in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, is one of many that have been filed against carriers over ETFs. Many operators, including AT&T, switched to a pro-rated ETF system in 2008, under which the fee decreases over time. In a statement, AT&T said it "strongly denies any wrongdoing, but has agreed to settle to avoid the burden and cost of further litigation."

The class affected includes AT&T customers (or those of its predecessors, such as Cingular), who were charged a flat-rate ETF between Jan. 1, 1998 and Nov. 4, 2009, or subscribers whose contract included a flat-rate ETF at any time after Jan. 1, 1998. It is not clear how the settlement fund will be divided.

Such settlements are not uncommon in the industry; last year Sprint Nextel settled a similar case for $17.5 million.

Interestingly, the AT&T settlement came on the same day the FCC sent letters to the Tier 1 carriers and Google asking them to detail and explain the rationale behind their ETF policies.

For more:
- see this NJ.com article
- see this Engadget post
- see this AT&T statement

Related Articles:
FCC questions carriers, Google on ETF policies
Lawmakers, FCC target carriers' ETF policies
Lawmaker disapproves of Verizon's ETF changes
T-Mobile jumps on ETF bandwagon