Penalty Amount
$1,000,000
Connecticut Attorney General settled with Frontier Communications over deceptive marketing, hidden fees, and poor service. The $60 million settlement requires Frontier to invest $42.5 million in fiber upgrades for 40,000 households in distressed areas, end a $6.99 monthly surcharge, pay $1 million to the state, and provide $200,000 in consumer refunds. Frontier must also improve customer service, billing disclosures, and service quality guarantees over six years.
Frontier must pay $1 million to Connecticut, provide $200,000 in refunds to affected consumers, invest $42.5 million to upgrade internet infrastructure in economically distressed communities, eliminate the hidden $6.99 monthly surcharge, and implement comprehensive reforms including new billing and advertising disclosures, speed guarantees, and improved cancellation and equipment return processes. The agreement is enforceable for six years with penalties for non-compliance.
In-house legal teams should review all customer-facing service agreements for internet/telecom services, including residential service contracts, terms of service, and billing schedules. Focus on clauses governing fees and surcharges (to eliminate ambiguous or hidden charges), marketing and sales representations (to ensure accuracy and prevent deception), service quality and performance guarantees (to establish measurable standards), billing and disclosure provisions (for transparency), and cancellation/termination terms (to prevent improper charges post-cancellation). Revisions should include clear, itemized billing, removal of undisclosed fees, explicit service level commitments, and robust customer service protocols.
Entity
Frontier Communications
Also known as: Frontier
Industry
TelecommunicationsOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2022-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-announces-settlement-with-frontier-communications
frontier stipulation judgment 83122.pdf?rev=16f5b7212b6e4d1d
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2022/frontier-stipulation-judgment_83122.pdf?rev=16f5b7212b6e4d1daceb2a51465a5bac&hash=B7F49C334B2AFEB394204580AFAE2076
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.
Connecticut joined a coalition of state attorneys general filing a notice in Character Technologies, Inc.’s bankruptcy proceedings, raising concerns about the company’s safety and privacy practices and the sensitive information it holds. The states seek protections for children and consumers if the company’s business or assets are sold or transferred; the filing does not impose a fine or other remedy.
Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman petitioned PURA to review how Connecticut public utilities use artificial intelligence, citing potential data privacy and cybersecurity risks, algorithmic errors, and misleading outputs. The petition asks PURA to examine utility AI systems, safeguards, vendors, and data security practices; it does not report a finding of violation or an imposed penalty.
$2.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a settlement with RZ Smoke, Inc. over allegations that it distributed and sold high-potency cannabis products without a state license. The stipulated judgment is $2 million, with $375,000 payable to the State and $1.6 million suspended to ensure compliance; the company is barred from specified cannabis activities in Connecticut unless licensed.
$13.7M
Connecticut joined a coalition of states and the federal government in settling allegations that Takeda paid healthcare providers speaker honoraria and provided meals to induce prescriptions of Trintellix, leading to allegedly false claims to government healthcare programs. Takeda agreed to pay $13,670,921 plus accrued interest, with portions allocated to federal and state programs.