A federal judge in Washington state ruled that a class-action lawsuit against AT&T can proceed to trial. U.S. District Court Judge Ricardo Martinez struck down as "unconscionable" a provision in subscribers' contracts requiring arbitration of complaints against the carrier instead of lawsuits. The complaint was filed in Seattle in 2006 on behalf of all AT&T Wireless customers who claim they were deceived or overcharged because of its acquisition by Cingular. The customers had to buy new equipment, move to higher cost plans, and, in some cases, pay an $18 "transfer" or "upgrade" fee, the suit said. "Our arbitration clause is among the most consumer friendly in the nation,?an AT&T spokesman said.
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