AT&T To Create Tiered Internet Access For Subscribers

AT&T will bring out a new tiered mechanism for giving Internet access to subscribers at different network speeds. AT&T customers currently buy Internet access at various speeds that the company delivers through its dedicated phone lines. But AT&T Senior Federal Regulatory Vice President Robert Quinn said it is difficult to guarantee subscribers' requested speeds for the whole Internet because AT&T can't control the nondedicated, shared part of the network. The new service will change AT&T's current practice of guaranteeing subscribers Internet speeds "up to" their subscribed amount. "When AT&T provides broadband service by speed, it will do so in discrete, non-overlapping tiers," Quinn said in written testimony. "We will strive to provide service within the speed tier purchased by the customer and, if we find that we are not providing service within the ordered speed tier, AT&T will take action either to bring the customer's service within the ordered tier or give the customer an option to move to a different tier."