Metronet Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Deceptive "Tech Assure" Fee

Case Overview: A class action lawsuit has been filed against Metronet, alleging the company deceives customers by hiding a mandatory "Tech Assure" fee that inflates the cost of internet plans.

Consumers Affected: Metronet customers who were charged the "Tech Assure" fee.

Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Metronet has been slapped with a class action lawsuit alleging it deceives customers by falsely advertising low prices for its broadband internet services. 

Plaintiffs Jyoti Gautam Murray and Allen Perry filed the class action lawsuit against Metro Fibernet LLC, doing business as Metronet, on Aug. 2 in an Indiana federal court, alleging violations of state consumer laws.

According to the complaint, the company automatically adds a “Technology Services Fee” (TSF) which artificially inflates the cost of their internet plans without giving customers the option to opt out.

“But behind the guise of Defendant’s benevolence is the reality that the TSF is implemented solely to extort more money from its customers. This is true because customers are not offered the option to elect out of these services and are unequivocally charged the TSF regardless if their technology needs servicing or if those customers ever make a technology service request with Metronet,” the lawsuit alleges.

Metronet Accused Of Hiding Mandatory Fees

The lawsuit alleges that Metronet mischaracterizes this mandatory fee as covering equipment repairs and services at no extra charge. 

However, customers are charged the fee even if they never require any service, with the fee adding as much as 43% to the cost of their internet service, it states.

“Metronet’s TSF is a classic example of a company-imposed ‘junk fee’ and serves solely as a profit generator. Indeed, depending on whichever specific internet service plan a customer selects, Metronet’s TSF can represent as much as 43% of the advertised cost the internet service itself,” the complaint asserts.

The fee is not disclosed upfront, leaving many consumers unaware of the actual cost of their internet service until they receive their bills, the plaintiffs allege.

“Worse yet, Metronet fails to adequately disclose the TSF to its customers in its advertisements, and customers do not discover the true cost of their internet service until after signing up or sometimes, even later on when they receive their bill,” the lawsuit argues.

Plaintiffs Demand Compensation For Deceptive Pricing

Murray, who signed up for a Metronet service in Aug. 2022, says she believed she was getting the best value at $49.95 per month. However, her true monthly cost jumped to $61.95 once the TSF was added. 

The Metronet hidden fees class action lawsuit seeks to represent all Metronet customers who were charged this fee. The plaintiffs are requesting class action certification, damages, fees, and a jury trial.

Chipotle is also facing a class action lawsuit related to fees, with plaintiffs alleging the company deceives customers by disguising service fees as sales tax on online orders.

Case Details

• Lawsuit: Murray v. Metro Fibernet LLC 
• Case Number: 3:24-cv-00131-MPB-CSW 
• Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

Plaintiffs' Attorneys

• Tyler B. Ewigleben, Christopher D. Jennings (Jennings PLLC)
• Jeffrey Kaliel, Sophia Gold (KalielGold PLLC)

Have you experienced unexpected or hidden fees with internet service providers like Metronet? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.