On December 19, 2024, the FCC’s Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (“CGB”) released a Public Notice reminding broadband Internet service providers (“ISPs”) of their obligation to display accurate and accessible broadband labels at all points of sale. These labels are required to provide consumers with clear and detailed information about broadband plans and services. Below are the requirements with respect to the labels and their display:
- “Labels must include information about pricing, introductory rates, data allowances, and performance metrics. For example, providers must display the base monthly price for the offering and, when there is an introductory rate, also must display the rate that applies after the introductory period has ended.
- Providers are required to display only the ‘retail’ monthly price, i.e., the price a provider offers broadband to customers before applying discounts. The provider may link from the label to a webpage explaining any discounts, such as autopay, or may also separately inform consumers about discounts as part of their marketing materials. Providers offering broadband bundled with other services may note that via a link in the section of the label where they describe other discounts.
- Labels must itemize all recurring monthly fees and discretionary fees and state that additional government taxes will apply to each plan. Labels must include the name and cost of each one-time fee assessed by the provider. Providers also must identify any one-time fees the provider will impose if the customer cancels their broadband service before the end of a contract term and must provide a link to a full explanation of when such fee is triggered.
- Providers must disclose any charges or reductions in service for any data used in excess of the amount included in the plan.
- Labels must include speed and latency metrics. Specifically, providers must display their typical upload and download speeds and typical latency. Other important information such as network management practices and privacy policies must be provided in a link from the label.
- Labels must be accessible to persons with disabilities at all points of sale. Labels must be in English and in any other languages in which the provider markets its services in the United States. Providers must include at the bottom of all broadband labels a link to the Commission’s website https://www.fcc.gov/consumers. This website has a template for the broadband label, in various formats.
- Information included in the label must be made available in a machine-readable format, posted on the ISP’s website. Machine readable means providing data in a format that can be easily processed by a computer without human intervention while ensuring no semantic meaning is lost. Machine readable specifications are on [the FCC’s] website.
- Providers must archive for two years labels that have been removed from websites or alternate sales channels and provide such labels to the Commission or existing customers upon request.”
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