BROOKLYN, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - A New York-based Internet services provider is being sued for allegedly broadcasting a second Wi-Fi signal from residential routers that third parties can connect to.
Paul Jensen filed the lawsuit July 16 in U.S. District Court in New York against Cablevision Systems Corp.
The lawsuit claims the signals require customers of the company to pay for the added electricity needed to run the second Wi-Fi signal. Cablevision allegedly didn't obtain permission from its customers to allow third parties to share Internet services, and it also doesn't require third parties using the Internet to obtain permission from the residents before logging in.
“The presence of an additional Wi-Fi signal degrades the speed of the customers’ residential Wi-Fi connection,” the lawsuit said. “The Optimum Wi-Fi Hotspot may be accessed by any third party, including malicious actors, and thus poses increased security risks.”
The lawsuit seeks class action for all those who signed up for Cablevision's Optimum Wi-Fi Hotspot services. The suit is also seeking more than $5 million in damages plus court costs.
Jensen is represented by Joseph H. Bates of Carney Bates & Pulliam, PLLC of Little Rock, Ark.; Brian T. Ku, Louis K. Mussman and M. Ryan Casey of Ku & Mussman, P.A. in Miami Lakes, Fla.; and Gillian L. Wade and Sara D. Avila of Milsetin Adelman, LLP in Santa Monica, Calif.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York case number 2:15-cv-04188.