T-Mobile Settles FCC Cybersecurity Investigation for $31.5 Million

T-Mobile has reached a landmark settlement with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) concerning a series of significant data breaches that affected millions of customers over the past three years. Under the agreement, T-Mobile will pay a total of $31.5 million, which includes a $15.75 million civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury and an additional $15.75 million to enhance its cybersecurity measures. The settlement mandates T-Mobile to adopt robust cybersecurity practices, including modern architectures like zero trust and phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication. This comes in response to breaches in 2021, 2022, and 2023, which exposed sensitive customer data. FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel emphasized the need for stronger protections, stating that mobile networks are prime targets for cybercriminals. The FCC aims for this settlement to set a new standard for the industry regarding data protection.