AT&T Project

AT&T Project began with the discovery that the oligopoly of Internet Service Providers (ISP) collectively participate in the practice of gradually lowering the advertised upload and download bandwidth consumers pay for. This theft is defended with the claim that the consumer is receiving a tailored average internet speed in relation to their use. However, people are not always on their home wi-fi networks and therefore need high performance at specific times rather than an average speed all the time. The solution to such theft is to simply phone the service provider and demand faster internet.

Although this may sound simple, both the elderly and those with limited language skills find difficulty in voicing requests. The intricacy and labyrinth-like structure of the automated system deceives and frustrates. This was the case for our elderly neighbor, Malcolm, and our neighbor, who immigrated from Tunisia and Israel, Dorit. Both subscribe to the ISP AT&T and struggle with internet theft. In response, we created a software that more objectively measures internet speed, calls the provider if deficient, and navigates AT&T’s automated system with one of our own. When the operator is met, a voice recording of Malcolm or Dorit will request their advertised speeds. Our neighbors were also gestured a sleek product which functions as an aesthetic reminder of the service in exchange for two photographs each to document the exchange.