FCC rolls out new rules to clarify broadband costs

The Federal Communications Commission said the labels—which it said were based on nutrition facts labels—would be required for large networks as of Wednesday. The labels break down monthly costs alongside other charges or fees for both mobile and home internet access. According to the FCC, the labels are meant to help consumers compare while shopping for the best internet plans for their needs. Consumers should be able to find the labels online and in stores. Smaller providers, defined as those with 100,000 or fewer subscribers, have until Oct. 10 to switch to the new labels.

Why is the FCC issuing these new regulations? The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed in 2021, required that internet providers provide consumer-friendly labels, according to the FCC’s website. In 2022, the agency held three public hearings where consumers explained their experience viewing providers' internet plans, while officials and experts discussed working under previous rules. The newly adopted rules came after those hearings and a public comment period.

Are internet providers cooperating with this? Broadband providers such as Verizon, Xfinity, and AT&T have begun including the labels on their products, according to the companies’ websites.

Dig deeper: Read Grace Snell’s report in WORLD Magazine about how AI-generated news sites are proliferating on the internet.