AT&T customers may expect yet another change from the telecom giant and it’s not something good.
The firm has revealed that it would be increasing prices on its internet services again. Users are left to wonder how much farther their bills will go while the corporation cites increasing operational costs as the cause.
Many customers will feel the effects of the latest rise, which follows on the heels of several raises in recent years. However, new sign-ups and certain low-income plans will continue to be excluded.
Another $5 Bite
AT&T is set to increase the cost of all its home internet plans by $5 a month, marking the latest in a series of recent price hikes. According to The Verge, this is on top of the $5 monthly increase that took effect in November 2024.
The company confirmed that this adjustment will take effect from 1 December 2025.
In a statement by spokesperson Jim Kimberly, AT&T‘s price increase is intended to help the company manage rising operational costs while maintaining the quality of service.
Reportedly, customers who have not yet enrolled in Autopay and Paperless Billing may be eligible for a discount of $10 per month when using an eligible bank account, or $5 with a debit card.
Detailed information about plans and associated fees is available on monthly statements or via the company’s website.
Internet customers who signed up within the past year or who participate in AT&T’s Access from AT&T program for low-income households will not be affected by the new price hike, Kimberly added.
‘Corporate Greed’ or Just Inflation?
On Reddit, users voiced frustration over what they described as ‘corporate greed’ driving yet another round of price increases.
Some expressed disappointment at the lack of competition in the broadband market, with one user claiming they had been misled by a so-called ‘price lock guarantee for life.’ The comment read: ‘When I signed up, I was told there was a price lock guarantee for life. AT&T told me my fiber would be $80/mo for as long as I kept it. Turns out that was a lie?’
Others, however, were quick to defend AT&T, arguing that rising costs were inevitable. Some even urged fellow Redditors to appreciate the fact that they had access to fibre at all.
‘I’d kill to even get cable, much less, fiber. Rural life is not for tech people,’ one user remarked. Another user wrote, ‘It’s worth it. My AT&T fiber is insanely fast and reliable.’
Rising Costs, Stagnant Service
Home internet costs continue to climb across the United States, yet many customers report little to no improvement in service quality.
A survey by CNET and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society in April revealed that 6% of adults paying for home internet saw their bills rise over the past year, with the average household spending around $195 more than the year before.
Despite these higher costs, more than half of respondents said they still experienced unreliable connections.
The findings come at a challenging time for the country’s broadband sector. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has committed over $90 billion to narrowing the digital divide, but the Trump administration has reportedly grown frustrated with the pace of progress.
Officials are said to be considering diverting funds away from fibre internet projects in favour of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service—an option that has raised concerns among experts due to its steep $120 monthly cost.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
