The FCC passed a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) to drop several of its broadband label rules that the agency adopted in 2022, under previous Chair Jessica Rosenworcel. Providers told the FCC some rules were too onerous.
Providers were required to display a label for each of their standalone broadband service plans beginning in 2024. FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the rules “departed quite dramatically” from what Congress intended.
“Rather than focusing on the information that consumers want and need, the agency added costly requirements that are unrelated to a consumer’s purchasing decision,” he said. “When consumers view the labels, they aren’t finding the information they need to make an informed decision. Or not finding it in an efficient and timely manner,” Carr explained.
The vote was 2-1 with Commissioner Anna Gomez dissenting, calling the proposal anti-consumer. “Adopting these proposals would make it possible for companies to remove important information that actually helps consumers, and I cannot support this disregard for the wellbeing of consumers,” she said.
The FNPRM would also remove unnecessary and costly compliance burdens while preserving the core information that helps consumers compare different broadband plans, according to the FCC.
Specifically, the Commission proposes to eliminate requirements that providers:
- Read the label to consumers over the phone;
- Itemize state and local passthrough fees;
- Provide information about the now-concluded Affordable Connectivity Program;
- Display labels in customer account portals;
- Make labels available in machine readable format; and
- Archive labels for at least two years after a service is no longer offered to new customers.
The FCC seeks public input on eliminating these requirements and on any others that are “unduly burdensome” for providers.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief