FCC Proposes Point-of-Sale Labels To Enable Consumers To Comparison Shop Among Broadband Providers And Plans

The Federal Communications Commission proposed new rules that would require broadband providers to display easy-to-understand labels to allow consumers to comparison shop for broadband services.  The proposal would require broadband providers to display, at the point of sale, labels that show prices, including introductory rates, as well as speeds, data allowances, network management practices, and other critical broadband service information.

The proposal is based on voluntary labels the Commission previously approved in a 2016 Public Notice, and responds to direction in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the FCC to require providers to create consumer-friendly labels with information about their broadband services. Access to accurate, simple-to-understand information about broadband internet access services helps consumers make informed choices and is central to a well-functioning marketplace that encourages competition, innovation, low prices, and high-quality service.

The FCC is seeking comment on, among other things: how consumers evaluate broadband service plans and whether the 2016 labels will assist consumers with the purchase process; whether the 2016 labels should be updated in terms of content and format; and whether the Commission should provide new guidance about where broadband providers must display such labels.

The Infrastructure Act requires the FCC to adopt regulations within a year of its passage and to conduct a series of public hearings to help inform the labeling requirements.