Ars Technica

Lawsuit: Who did the FBI pay to get into the San Bernardino attacker’s iPhone?

A trio of major media entities—The Associated Press, USA Today, and Vice Media—sued the FBI in an attempt to force the agency to reveal details from a mysterious deal that the agency struck in order to bust into a seized iPhone used by a now-deceased terrorist. In April 2016, FBI Director James Comey suggested that his agency paid over $1.3 million to an unnamed company to unlock the iPhone 5C that was used by Syed Farook Rizwan, the man behind an attack in San Bernardino (CA) in December 2015.

The Department of Justice and Apple were set to square off in federal court in California in March 2016 before the hearing was called off. The government soon announced that it had been shown a new technique to unlock the phone and no longer needed Apple's help. The DOJ previously received a court order that would have compelled Apple to create an entirely new customized iOS to allow investigators to brute force the passcode on the device. Apple, for its part, forcefully argued that this was a significant government overreach.

Muni ISP forced to shut off fiber-to-the-home Internet after court ruling

The city council in Wilson (NC) has reluctantly voted to turn off the fiber Internet service it provides to a nearby town because of a court ruling that prevents expansion of municipal broadband services. The Federal Communications Commission in February 2015 voted to block laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that prevent municipal broadband providers from expanding outside their territories. After that vote, Wilson's Greenlight fiber Internet service expanded to the nearby town of Pinetops (NC). But the states of North Carolina and Tennessee sued the FCC to keep their anti-municipal broadband laws in place, and in August they won a federal appeals court ruling that reinstated the law that prevents Wilson from offering Internet service to nearby municipalities.

At Sept 15's city council meeting, Wilson decided not to appeal the court decision and voted to terminate the service agreement with the town of Pinetops, Wilson's city spokesperson, Rebecca Agner said. About 200 home Internet customers in Pinetops will thus lose their Internet service on October 28, Agner said. The nearby Vick Family Farms that employs about 250 people will also lose its service, she said. "We must comply with our state law," Agner said. But city council members were very vocal in their opposition to the law and regret having to disconnect the service, she said.

After “lewd acts,” NYC’s free Internet kiosks disable Web browsing

The operators of free Internet kiosks in New York City plan to disable Web browsing on publicly available tablets after reports of "lewd acts," such as people watching porn and masturbating. LinkNYC kiosks have been replacing New York pay phones, offering free Wi-Fi access and a tablet that can be used by anyone who doesn't have their own mobile device. But LinkNYC announced that it "will be removing Web browsing on all Link tablets while we work with the City and community to explore potential solutions, like time limits." The tablets will still offer free phone calls, maps, and access to emergency services. New Yorkers can also continue to connect their own devices to LinkNYC Wi-Fi hotspots. But browsing on the publicly accessible tablets is being restricted after some disturbing reports.

Mobile industry urges judges to overturn Berkeley’s radiation warning

Two titans of the legal world faced off Sept 13 before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in a case that pits the cell phone industry against the city of Berkeley (CA). If the court ends up reversing a lower court’s earlier decision and ruling in favor of CTIA - The Wireless Association, it would overturn a new Berkeley city law that aims to alert cell phone users about possible radiation risks by forcing retailers to post signs in their stores. That law went into effect earlier in 2016 after the cell phone trade group sued to halt it.

Earlier in 2016, a federal judge ruled in favor of the defendants in CTIA v. City of Berkeley, allowing a municipal ordinance to stand, with one small revision. The Cellular Telephone Industries Association (CTIA), meanwhile, has argued that this violates the industry’s First Amendment rights, as it compels speech. “This is confusing,” Ted Olson, a former solicitor general under the George W. Bush administration, argued before the 9th Circuit on behalf of CTIA. “What the [Federal Communications Commission] says, your honors, with respect to its findings of cell phones used in the US is that they are safe. What Berkeley's message says is: ‘Watch out!’” Olson, who previously made similar arguments before the US District Court level, repeated his claim that this government-required notice was a “burden on speech.” “There’s a reason why Berkeley put the word ‘safety’ in there, it’s to send an alarm,” he said.

New European Union rules promise 100Mbps broadband and free Wi-Fi for all

The European Commission has promised free Wi-Fi in every town, village, and city in the European Union, in the next four years. A new grant, with a total budget of €120 million, will allow public authorities to purchase state-of-the art equipment, for example a local wireless access point. If approved by the the European Parliament and national ministers the cash could be available before the end of 2017. The commission has also set a target for all European households to have access to download speeds of at least 100Mbps by 2025, and has redefined Internet access as a so-called universal service, while removing obligations for old universal services such as payphones. It also envisions fully deploying 5G, the fifth generation of mobile communication systems, across the European Union by 2025.

Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker made reference to many of these proposals while also promising to abolish roaming once and for all in his "State of the European Union" address on Sept 14. To do all this the commission has proposed a new law—the European Electronic Communications Code—which merges four existing telecoms Directives (Framework, Authorisation, Access, and Universal Service Directive); as well as an updated Regulation on the Body of European Regulators of Electronic Communications (BEREC); a Regulation to support local communities in providing free public Wi-Fi to their citizens; and an Action Plan to deploy 5G in the EU.

Google Fiber hits North Carolina Research Triangle, its 8th metro area, despite rumors of layoffs

Google Fiber is about to start connecting homes and businesses in the North Carolina Research Triangle, despite rumors of layoffs and disappointing subscriber totals. The Triangle is Google Fiber's 8th metro area. The Triangle rollout may happen slowly. The service is going live first in Morrisville, (NC) which has about 23,000 residents, instead of the larger cities of Raleigh and Durham.

The expansion into Morrisville comes at a turbulent time for Google Fiber. The company delayed construction in San Jose (CA) and Portland (OR) while it considers whether to do future deployments with wireless technology instead of fiber.

Verizon exempts its own NFL video app from mobile data caps

Verizon Wireless's "FreeBee" program that exempts online services from data caps is proving to be pretty popular, at least among services that are either owned by Verizon or affiliated with the company. Two of the first online services to "pay" Verizon for data cap exemptions were Verizon's own Go90 streaming video service and the Verizon-owned AOL. Now Verizon is also zero-rating the "NFL Mobile from Verizon" application.

NFL Mobile is owned by the NFL rather than Verizon, but premium features such as live game video for phones work only on the Verizon network. The app's name is displayed as "NFL Mobile from Verizon" even when you open it on a phone connected to another network, such as T-Mobile's.

AT&T, owner of DirecTV, exempts DirecTV from mobile data caps

AT&T is now exempting DirecTV streaming video from data caps on AT&T's mobile Internet service. AT&T purchased DirecTV in July 2015 and on Sept 7 pushed an update to the DirecTV iPhone app to implement the data cap exemption. "Now you can stream DirecTV on your devices, anywhere—without using your data. Now with AT&T," the app's update notes say under the heading "Data Free TV." This feature requires subscriptions to DirecTV and AT&T wireless data services. It sounds like the data cap exemption may not apply to all data downloaded by the app, as the update notes further say that "Exclusions apply & may incur data usage." The service is also "Subject to network management, including speed reduction." The iPhone update also lets customers download shows from their home DVR to mobile devices. The DirecTV apps for Android and iPad have not yet received the update.

Data cap exemptions—also known as zero-rating—are controversial and are being reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission. The FCC's network neutrality rules prevent Internet service providers and mobile carriers from speeding up online services in exchange for payment, but they don't include a specific ban on zero-rating. Instead, the net neutrality regime has the FCC review zero-rating on a case-by-case basis to determine whether specific implementations harm customers or competitors.

FBI report: Clinton had limited knowledge of classified data procedures

On Sept 2, the Federal Bureau of Investigations published a 58-page redacted memorandum on the investigation of the mishandling of classified information by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The memo includes details from Clinton's interview with the FBI and a summary of other interviews the FBI conducted during the yearlong investigation. During her three-and-a-half-hour interview with FBI investigators, Hillary Clinton said that she had used a personal e-mail account "out of convenience" because she only wanted to carry a single mobile device—and the State Department would not allow her to connect a work device to her personal e-mail. She said she had no recollection of anyone voicing concerns over the arrangement. But the FBI investigation found records of an exchange with former Secretary of State Colin Powell on the topic, where he warned her of the risks and told her how he had "gotten around it."

The FBI report shows that Clinton generally allowed others to make decisions about how to support her Blackberry habit and that the private mail server she used was run largely at the direction of former President Bill Clinton's staff. And while the FBI did not find that Clinton did anything criminal, the investigation revealed a generally lax approach to security overall by the State Department, Clinton's staff, and Clinton herself. Clinton told the FBI that she "did not pay attention to the level of classification of information and took all classified information seriously," the FBI memo reports. But she was unable to identify the meaning of "(C)" (Confidential) content markings in an e-mail, speculating in the interview that it had something to do with paragraphs that were supposed to be in alphabetical order. She demonstrated a limited understanding of procedures for classification of information—even though she was designated as an Original Classification Authority, someone authorized to set the level of classification on information.

Golden State Warriors Android app constantly listens to nearby audio, fan says

The official Android app for the NBA's Golden State Warriors continuously listens in on users' private conversations without permission, according to a federal lawsuit that alleges the practice is a violation of privacy statutes. The 15-page complaint filed in San Francisco (CA) federal court said the monitoring was part of beaconing technology integrated into the Golden State Warriors app. The beaconing is used to track users' precise locations so the app can provide content that's tailored to that locale. The app "listens to and records all audio within range" of a user's microphone, and when the app detects a unique audio signal, it is able to determine the user is in close proximity to a specific location associated with the signal.

The beaconing technology, the complaint alleged, is provided by a Signal360, a developer of proximity-related products. The lawsuit names the Golden State Warriors, Signal360, and app developer Yinzcam as defendants. It was filed on behalf of New York state resident Latisha Satchell, and the lawsuit seeks class action status so that other smartphone users who installed apps with similar behavior may also seek damages. It was filed on Aug 29, and its docket currently shows no hearings are yet scheduled on the matter. "Unbeknownst to plaintiff and without her consent, defendants programmed the app to turn on her smartphone's microphone and listen-in," the complaint alleges. "Specifically, because plaintiff carried her smartphone to locations where she would have private conversations and the app was continuously running on her phone, defendants app listened-in to private oral communications."

The most absurd Internet privacy class-action settlement ever

In 2013, Yahoo announced that it would begin scanning its users' e-mail for targeted advertising purposes—just as Google does. As is par for the course, class-action lawsuits were filed. The Silicon Valley media giant, according to one of the lawsuits, was violating the "personal liberties" of non-Yahoo Mail users. That's because non-Yahoo Mail users, who have sent mail to Yahoo mail users, were having their e-mail scanned without their permission. The suit, which was one of six that were co-mingled as a single class action, demanded that a judge halt the scanning and award each victim "$5,000 or three times actual damages" in addition to "reasonable attorneys' fees and costs."

Fast forward three years. The case is now closed. Days ago, a Silicon Valley federal judge signed off on a settlement. The lawyers won, they were awarded $4 million (£3 million), and the public got nothing. What's more, the settlement allows Yahoo to continue to scan e-mails without non-Yahoo users' consent. (Yahoo Mail customers have granted consent to the scanning as a condition of using the service.) The major change the lawsuit produced was that Yahoo is agreeing to scan the e-mail while it's at rest on its servers instead of while the mail is in transit. This, according to the settlement, satisfies the California Invasion of Privacy Act (CIPA) claims. The deal spells out that Yahoo only has to do this for three years, but Yahoo said it would continue with the new scanning protocol after the three years expire.

FCC admits defeat in municipal broadband, won’t appeal court loss

The Federal Communications Commission has decided not to appeal a court decision that allows states to impose laws restricting the growth of municipal broadband. The FCC in February 2015 voted to block laws in North Carolina and Tennessee that prevent municipal broadband providers from expanding outside their territories, but the states convinced a federal appeals court to keep the laws in place. The FCC could have asked for another appeals court review or gone to the Supreme Court but will instead let the matter drop.

"The FCC will not seek further review of the [US Court of Appeals for the] Sixth Circuit's decision on municipal broadband after determining that doing so would not be the best use of Commission resources," an FCC spokesperson said. The cities that were seeking to expand municipal broadband networks—Chattanooga (TN) and Wilson (NC)—were also involved in the case. The cities have not yet said whether they will appeal. The FCC relied on a novel legal argument in the case. Congress authorizes the FCC to promote competition in local telecommunications markets and to remove barriers that prevent infrastructure investment, and the FCC said that this authority allows it to preempt the state laws. But Congress never specifically authorized the FCC to preempt state laws, a fact that judges cited in overturning the FCC decision.

T-Mobile quadruples tethering speed on “unlimited” plan—to 512kbps

The new $70-per-month "unlimited data" plans announced by T-Mobile USA in August came with some big limits. Mobile hotspot speeds were to be throttled to 128kbps unless customers paid more, and online video resolution reduced to 480p unless customers paid extra to unlock high-definition video. But after a wave of criticism from those who think T-Mobile is violating network neutrality and others who think the new deal just isn't that good, the carrier announced some changes. It's a mixed bag, though, as there is apparently no way to permanently enable high-definition video, and T-Mobile is killing an option that would have let customers buy high-speed hotspot data in 5GB increments.

The standard T-Mobile One unlimited plan will now provide tethering speeds of up to 512kbps instead of just 128kbps. (T-Mobile's announcement calls 512kbps "3G" speed, though in reality T-Mobile's 3G network technology is quite a bit faster.) Half a megabit per second will be fast enough to let customers "use their mobile hotspot to check e-mail, share files, check the news or watch their favorite YouTube videos," T-Mobile said. Video resolution will still be limited on the standard T-Mobile One plan. But T-Mobile is making it cheaper to unlock unlimited high-speed hotspot usage and high-definition video for customers who want both features every month. Originally, T-Mobile said it would charge $15 for each 5GB of high-speed mobile hotspot usage, and another $25 a month for HD video. But today's announcement includes a "T-Mobile One Plus" plan that unlocks both high-definition video and unlimited 4G LTE mobile hotspot usage for an extra $25 a month ($95 total).

Rep Ted Lieu (D-CA) to FCC: Fix phone network flaw that allows eavesdropping

A documented weakness in Signaling System 7 has been shown to allow widespread interception of phone calls and text messages (SS7 is the public switched telephone network signaling protocol used to set up and route phone calls; it also allows for things like phone number portability). This weakness in SS7 can even undermine the security of encrypted messaging systems such as WhatsApp and Telegram. In an April segment of 60 Minutes, Rep Ted Lieu (D-CA) allowed hackers to demonstrate how they could listen in on his calls. In light of the mass leak of congressional staffers' contact information by hackers, Rep Lieu is now urging the Federal Communications Commission to take action quickly to fix the problem with SS7. The hackers are purportedly tied to Russian intelligence.

"In light of the recent cyber hack at the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] that released cell phone numbers of all Democratic Members of Congress—reportedly conducted by the Russian Government—our foreign adversaries can now acquire cell phone voice and text data of over 180 Congress members with impunity," Rep Lieu wrote in a letter dated August 22. "This problem is particularly acute given reports that Russia is trying to influence elections in America."

DOJ lawyer who leaked Bush spy program is censured for ethics failure

The Justice Department lawyer who disclosed the secret and warrantless surveillance program then-President George W. Bush adopted in the immediate aftermath of the Sept.11 terror attacks was publicly censured Aug 25 by a federal appeals court for breaching legal ethics. As a Lawyer for the Justice Department's Intelligence Policy and Review unit, Thomas Tamm violated professional conduct rules for disclosing to The New York Times "confidences" and "secrets," the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit concluded. As part of his Justice Department duties, Tamm was tasked with requesting electronic surveillance warrants from the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals Board of Professional Responsibility said Tamm became aware in 2004 that certain applications to that FISA Court for national security surveillance authority "were given special treatment" and he leaked details of the program to the newspaper.

Comcast’s $70 gigabit deal is shockingly difficult to sign up for

When Comcast brought its gigabit download cable service to Chicago (IL) recently, there was plenty of confusion about the price. Comcast initially said it would cost $140 a month, even though a $70 monthly price is available in other cities where Comcast has to compete against Google Fiber. But after we published a story on August 19, a Comcast spokesperson said the $70 offer was available in Chicago after all, contrary to what the company had said earlier that day. But there’s a difference between Comcast telling the media that a great deal is available and customers actually being able to sign up for it.

Comcast said that customers interested in the offer should sign up at xfinity.com/gig. But when you follow the links, the only pricing listed is $300 a month for 2Gbps fiber Internet and $140 a month for 1Gbps download speeds (with 35Mbps uploads). Talking to actual Comcast employees on the phone hasn’t gotten some customers any closer to the $70 gigabit deal. Some customers have been told the offer doesn't exist, while others have been told it simply isn't available in their area.

EFF accuses T-Mobile of violating network neutrality with throttled video

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) accused T-Mobile USA of violating network neutrality principles with a new "unlimited" data plan that throttles video.

The group is weighing whether to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, and EFF is evaluating a similar offering from Sprint. T-Mobile's $70-per-month unlimited data plan limits video to about 480p resolution and requires customers to pay an extra $25 per month for high-definition video. Going forward, this will be the only plan offered to new T-Mobile customers, though existing subscribers can keep their current prices and data allotments. "From what we've read thus far it seems like T-Mobile's new plan to charge its customers extra to not throttle video runs directly afoul of the principle of net neutrality," said EFF Senior Staff Technologist Jeremy Gillula. The FCC's net neutrality rules include a ban on throttling. But there's a difference between violating "the principle of net neutrality" and violating the FCC's specific rules, which have exceptions to the throttling ban and allow for case-by-case judgments.

States win the right to limit municipal broadband, beating FCC in court

The Federal Communications Commission has lost in an attempt to preempt state laws that restrict the growth of municipal broadband networks.

A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled in favor of the states that opposed the FCC’s rules. "The FCC order essentially serves to re-allocate decision-making power between the states and their municipalities," the judges wrote. "This is shown by the fact that no federal statute or FCC regulation requires the municipalities to expand or otherwise to act in contravention of the preempted state statutory provisions. This preemption by the FCC of the allocation of power between a state and its subdivisions requires at least a clear statement in the authorizing federal legislation. The FCC relies upon Section 706 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 for the authority to preempt in this case, but that statute falls far short of such a clear statement. The preemption order must accordingly be reversed." The decision was essentially unanimous, with judges John Rogers, Joseph Hood, and Helene White all voting to reverse the FCC's order. Jude White concurred in part and dissented in part, writing a separate opinion to address a few issues not covered in the majority opinion.

US broadband: Still no ISP choice for many, especially at higher speeds

The latest Federal Communications Commission statistics show that Americans still have little choice of high-speed broadband providers.

On the surface, the numbers appear to show that the broadband market has gotten slightly less competitive since 2013. But what has really happened is the FCC is collecting more granular data that better illustrates the lack of choice for most Americans. Things are probably getting a little better as providers boost speeds and new entrants like Google Fiber and municipal ISPs offer service. But the FCC's improved statistical analysis shows how far there is to go. The FCC's latest Internet Access Services report was released just recently and contains data through June 30, 2015. At the FCC's 25Mbps download/3Mbps upload broadband standard, there are no ISPs at all in 30 percent of developed census blocks and only one offering service that fast in 48 percent of the blocks. About 55 percent of census blocks have no 100Mbps/10Mbps providers, and only about 10 percent have multiple options at that speed.

Wow cable promises gigabit Internet service in five cities by end of 2016

Wow, a cable company, is the latest Internet service provider to announce gigabit Internet plans. By the end of 2016, Wow promises to offer gigabit speeds to "thousands of residential and business customers" in Huntsville (AL), Auburn (AL), Evansville (IN), Knoxville (TN), and Grosse Pointe Shores (MI).

Wow will offer symmetrical gigabit using fiber-to-the-home in Grosse Point, but the other cities may end up with cable. Using newer DOCSIS technology, Wow can offer gigabit download speeds over cable. But cable upload speeds will be just 50Mbps. A spokesperson declined to provide specific launch dates and prices, saying, "As we turn up each market later this year we will be announcing our very competitive pricing." Pricing may have to be as low as $70 a month for gigabit service to be competitive against Google Fiber and AT&T. Google hasn't turned on service in any of Wow's announced markets, but it has plans for Huntsville. AT&T also plans to launch gigabit Internet in Huntsville by the end of 2016.

Google Fiber re-thinks plans as it considers wireless alternative

Google Fiber was planning to install fiber lines in San Jose (CA) starting in July, but has delayed the project while it considers a wireless alternative. Google Fiber recently announced plans to purchase Webpass, a company that uses point-to-point wireless technology to offer speeds up to 1Gbps, the same as Google's fiber-to-the-home network. San Jose may not be the only city where Google Fiber re-thinks current plans as a result of its newfound wireless capabilities. The Webpass purchase is expected to be completed this summer.

"Google Fiber is already up and running in seven other major cities, outside California, but a source familiar with the project says the company is putting additional fiber locations on the back burner to reassess the technology and explore a cheaper alternative—wireless service that does not require expensive, capital-intensive and time-consuming installation of fiber cables under the ground," the Mercury News reported. "The source said Google is now focusing more on aerial installation." Google Fiber has been talking with San Jose city officials about a deployment for more than two years. Webpass's wireless technology is better suited to multi-unit residential buildings than single-family homes. But it could speed Google Fiber deployment, which has also stalled in other cities where Google must negotiate access to utility poles owned by the incumbent ISPs against which it's trying to compete. The Webpass network relies on antennas and receivers placed on top of high buildings.

Verizon faces customers’ wrath over poor Internet and phone service

Aug 4, Verizon faced complaints from customers and government officials about maintenance of its copper network in areas of New Jersey. Hearings were held by the NJ state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) on Verizon service in rural parts of South Jersey, where the company hasn't upgraded its networks to fiber. About 200 "frustrated residents" attended and nearly 80 signed up to speak, airing their complaints for hours.

Theresa Duffy-Diamond of Cedarville (NJ) owns three businesses but complained that she has trouble running them because of how hard it is to make phone calls. She played a voicemail that she received—it contained "nothing but crackling sounds." 63-year-old John Dowling of Estell Manor, who suffers from a chronic lung disease and needs frequent medical attention, reported not being able to make phone calls from his landline when it rains. When he complains to Verizon, "four days later they would come out on a sunny day and say the lines are all clear," he said. A coalition of municipal and county governments asked the state to hold an evidentiary hearing to further investigate Verizon's copper maintenance. Cumberland County Counsel Ted Baker recently provided the BPU with more than 80 pages of complaints from residents.

How Comcast convinced customers to buy “near-worthless” service plans

The Washington state attorney general's $100 million lawsuit against Comcast uses a sales script and transcripts of chats with customers to make the case that Comcast deceived subscribers when marketing what the state calls "near-worthless" service plans. Since January 2011, Comcast made $73 million selling Service Protection Plans (SPP) for up to $5 a month to 500,000 customers in Washington. But the service plans were sold to customers under false pretenses, with Comcast describing the plans as being far more comprehensive and useful than they were, Attorney General Bob Ferguson alleged.

One of Ferguson's key pieces of evidence is a sales script that Comcast used until June 2016. (Comcast recently made changes to address the attorney general's complaints.) Though Comcast service plans had various limitations and purportedly "covered" certain services that were actually available for free, the "sales scripts did not include any reference to limitations on the SPP's coverage," the AG's lawsuit said. "Nor did Comcast's training manuals teach its employees to disclose the limitations to Washington consumers."

Washington state sues Comcast, says it sold near-worthless service plans

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced a $100 million consumer protection lawsuit against Comcast, alleging that the nation's biggest cable company "engag[ed] in a pattern of deceptive practices constituting more than 1.8 million individual violations of the Washington Consumer Protection Act." Comcast's conduct affected about 500,000 customers who purchased service protection plans in Washington, Ferguson said. State officials filed the lawsuit in King County Superior Court, seeking refunds for consumers.

The "lawsuit accuses Comcast of misleading 500,000 Washington consumers and deceiving them into paying at least $73 million in subscription fees over the last five years for a near-worthless 'protection plan' without disclosing its significant limitations," the state AG's announcement said. "Customers who sign up for Comcast’s Service Protection Plan pay a $4.99 monthly fee ostensibly to avoid being charged if a Comcast technician visits their home to fix an issue covered by the plan." Washington said it alleges 1.8 million violations because Comcast made false claims regarding the scope of its service protection plans to 700,000 customers, and "deceptively represented the scope of its Customer Guarantee to over 1.17 million Washington consumers." Comcast allegedly led customers to believe that they needed to buy service protection plans to get services that were actually covered for free by the "Customer Guarantee."