AT&T has until Monday to respond to a subpoena requesting it answer questions about expanding broadband to 133,000 rural businesses and homes in Mississippi. That’s according to Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley. He says the Federal Communications Commission provided $283 million to AT&T to expand broadband. Presley says they are charged with ensuring the work is done but the company won’t answer his questions.
“Whether or not it’s been made available, how many complaints have come in related to this type of service, how many customers of the 133,000 houses that the services have been made available to, how many of those customers have signed-up for the service,” said Presley
Presley says he’s taken aback by the company’s stance. In a statement AT&T’s Mississippi President Mayo Flynt responded they comply with the law and the requirements of the FCC. He added they’re confident high speed internet will be available to 133,000 rural homes and businesses by the end of the year.
Presley says AT&T began receiving funds to expand high speed internet five years ago. He says Flynt told Mississippi legislators in May, the work has been completed.
“This year they have contended publicly that they’ve met all their obligations, that they’re complete, they're done, and obviously a part of our oversight in our role is to ensure that in fact they’re telling the truth, that they have done what they said they should do,” said Presley.
Some residents according to Presley have complained about being told they can receive the service only to find out from a technician the signal is too weak. He’s having a Zoom Town Hall this evening about rural broadband services to answer people’s questions.
