Clearwire Internet Lawsuit Seeks Class Action Status

Washington, DCService is important to people, especially in such a challenging economy. However, while 'service' represents a responsibility that most people both understand and value, 'Clearwire service' appears to be something else again. Clearwire Internet, according to many disgruntled customers leaves much to be desired, and the addition of Clearwire early termination fees have left many with little choice but to pursue legal action.

To that end Clearwire is at the receiving end of numerous lawsuits in several states. The allegation is that Clearwire misrepresented the quality and reliability of its wireless broadband service—and when customers attempted to cancel as a result, they were hit with early termination fees.

According to a report in Cellular-News various plaintiffs from Washington, Hawaii, Minnesota and North Carolina are seeking class action status on behalf all of Clearwire subscribers locked into a contract for a service they can't reliably use.

The lawsuit, Minnick et al v. Clearwire US LLC, was filed in King County, Washington.

The beef that Clearwire customers have with Clearwire service is, in reality a lack of service. Clearwire is promoted as reliable and comparable alternative to cable Internet and DSL, and is marketed as being 'always-on.' However customers have found that the marketing pitch is more like a hollow promise.

Plaintiffs claim that the service is far inferior, given problems with service disruptions, speeds that descend to a level that would rival dial-up service and in many cases, lack of service entirely.

Students needing to get onto the internet to research papers, or small business owners who rely on the Internet for much of their business, would find such a diminution of service to be totally unacceptable.

The Clearwire early termination fee is akin to rubbing salt into a wound. When customers try to exit a contract in view of such allegedly poor service, they are hit with fees that are often steep and patently unwelcome. The complaint alleges that the Early Termination Fee constitutes an unlawful penalty, stifles competition and is otherwise void and unenforceable.

According to a report by mocoNews.net that appeared last week in the Washington Post, Clearwire is in the process of upgrading its network from a proprietary version of WiMax to true mobile WiMax. However, such on ongoing conversion would be of little use to customers who are having problems with their Internet service now.

Customers who do not have the money to pay what is often a pricey Clearwire early termination fee, would be stuck with an allegedly unreliable service in a definitive case of Catch 22.

According to the report a spokesperson from Clearwire declined comment on the grounds that Clearwire does not comment on pending legal matters.

As the Internet becomes increasingly important for communication, it is also becoming a valued tool for business and commerce. Many businesses depend entirely on the Internet, and require dependable and efficient Internet service to remain viable. Many Clearwire service customers have indicated they weren't even aware they had been assigned to a contract. Others have complained that a relatively short-term contract had been elevated to a longer term without their knowledge. When unreliable service presents an impossible situation, the reality of Clearwire early termination fees often creates a roadblock many can't afford to get past.

For many beset with unreliable Clearwire service and faced with Clearwire early termination fees, Clearwire Internet is anything but clear.