AT&T Files Lawsuit Against T-Mobile US

AT&T filed a lawsuit to stop T-Mobile US’s AI-based switching tool from scraping its customer data. On 20 November, T-Mobile rolled out a beta version of its Easy Switch program that enables customers from rivals to change plans in 15 minutes instead of hours using its digital T-Life app.

Easy Switch is an AI tool that analyzes current AT&T or Verizon accounts before recommending optimal T-Mobile plans. It went live on 1 December. After sending T-Mobile an initial complaint on 26 November, AT&T filed its lawsuit in a US district court in Texas on 30 November. It alleges the T-Life app is scraping AT&T customer data by collecting “more than 100 categories of private information” from each subscriber before recommending lower-priced T-Mobile plans.

AT&T asked the judge to issue a temporary restraining order blocking T-Mobile from using its “Switch Made Easy” (SME) price-comparison tool to access password-protected software on AT&T’s systems without permission. “AT&T has already told T-Mobile to stop,” it stated in the filing. “T-Mobile refused and instead actively circumvented security measures that AT&T put in place to block T-Mobile’s unauthorised intrusions.”

The operator also stated in its most recent filing that T-Mobile’s scraper also operates without identification so as to appear as AT&T’s own customers, in a blatant attempt to deceive AT&T’s systems, which it claimed is without authorization and in violation of its terms of use. Before filing its lawsuit, AT&T sent a cease-and-desist letter to T-Mobile on 24 November, and on the same day, implemented computer security measures to block T-Mobile’s scraping. It also contacted Apple the same day about the T-Life app violating app store terms.

A representative for T-Mobile stated that AT&T’s claims are wrong on the facts and the law. “Easy Switch simply and safely empowers consumers to seamlessly access and share their own information so that they can make an informed choice about their wireless provider and plan. We remain committed to transparency, simplicity, and ensuring consumers have the freedom to choose, and we will continue to vigorously oppose AT&T’s efforts to hamper consumer choice.”