FCC fines four wireless carriers millions

The FCC fined AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint nearly $200 million for improperly sharing customer location information without consent and failing to protect it from unauthorized access. The fines ranged from over $80 million for T-Mobile to $47 million for Verizon. The carriers, which discontinued the criticized location-sharing program over five years ago, plan to challenge the FCC's decision, arguing that the fines are excessive and the facts misinterpreted.

The penalties were prompted by incidents where customer data was accessed by unauthorized parties, including a case involving a former law enforcement officer. Despite the program's original intention to support essential services like emergency response, the FCC's recent actions underscore its commitment to protecting consumer privacy and maintaining strict oversight of data security practices among wireless carriers.