Verizon lifts data limits on all first responders

LOS ANGELES — Verizon Wireless said Friday it will immediately stop imposing data speed restrictions on first responders throughout the West Coast and Hawaii it was criticized for limiting service to firefighters battling California’s largest-ever wildfire.

Verizon also said it plans to offer unlimited data without restrictions for public safety officials.

California is beset by several wildfires, and Hawaii was hit by torrential rainfall, flooding and power outages stemming from Hurricane Lane.

Verizon’s plan, which was discussed by state Assembly members at a committee meeting on Friday, was made public after revelations that the company slowed the speed of Santa Clara County firefighters’ data as they helped battle the Mendocino Complex fire in July.

The incident sparked outrage this week when Santa Clara County Fire Chief Anthony Bowden chronicled it in an addendum to a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of net neutrality rules.

“This was not a fire drill,” Democratic Assemblyman Marc Levine said. “I think we were all surprised that such an incident could occur. I’m grateful that Verizon has recognized they need to change the way they do business.”

Dave Hickey, Verizon vice president of business and government sales, told lawmakers that the company would introduce out a new $37.99 service plan for public safety personnel that will include unlimited data with no caps and will give them priority access on congested networks.

The company also will remove throttling — which he referred to as speed-capping — for emergency responders during natural disasters that may occur nationwide, Hickey said.

Verizon officials said this week that the Santa Clara County Fire Department’s plan included unlimited highspeed wireless data, but data speeds were reduced when the agency reached a specific threshold, as is customary on their service plans.

However, the company has a practice to remove data speed restrictions for emergency responders — regardless of the plan they have chosen — in emergencies. Verizon called the situation a “customer support mistake” and has apologized.

Bowden wrote in the addendum to the lawsuit that the data-slowing during the Mendocino Complex fire specifically hampered OES 5262, a department command vehicle used as a mobile emergency operations center and requires “near-real-time information exchange” to coordinate resources and staff during emergencies like large wildfires.