Sens Feinstein, Harris Call on Telecoms to Guarantee Service to First Responders During Emergencies

Sens Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) called on the Federal Communications Commission, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile to guarantee service to first responders during emergencies and clarify policies regarding unlimited data plans. During the Mendocino Complex Fire, Verizon restricted data speeds for the Santa Clara Fire Department (SCFD), despite the fact the department had purchased an unlimited data plan. “We remain concerned that SCFD may have been told that their plan was ‘unlimited,’ only because they could continue to purchase more data once they hit their data caps,” the senators wrote in the letter to Verizon. “If this was the case, then this strikes us as disingenuous marketing. By this logic, any restaurant with a menu is a ‘buffet.’ While we appreciate that Verizon has made a promise to lift data caps on its public safety customers in the event of a future disaster, we would like to know more about how this came about in the first place, and Verizon’s specific plans to ensure that it won’t happen again.”