ISPs complained about Biden-era rule, said listing every fee was too hard.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr says Internet service providers shouldn’t have to list every fee they charge. Responding to a request from cable and telecom lobby groups, he is proposing to eliminate a rule that requires ISPs to itemize various fees in broadband price labels that must be made available to consumers.
The rule took effect in April 2024 after the FCC rejected ISPs’ complaints that listing every fee they created would be too difficult. The rule applies specifically to recurring monthly fees “that providers impose at their discretion, i.e., charges not mandated by a government.”
ISPs could comply with the rule either by listing the fees or by dropping the fees altogether and, if they choose, raising their overall prices by a corresponding amount. But the latter option wouldn’t fit with the strategy of enticing customers with a low advertised price and hitting them with the real price on their monthly bills. The broadband price label rules were created to stop ISPs from advertising misleadingly low prices.
here, the cable company currently is actually billing the advertised price if you’re an internet-only customer. no taxes, fees, or other bullshit other than their ridiculously-high equipment fee if you want to use their wifi router. their rates also go up once or twice a year just because they value your continued business and don’t want you to feel left out.
the telephone company, on the other hand, if you have dsl–look out. at least 25-40% in extra bullshit fees, nearly all of it is kept by them (i.e. not simply a pass-through to the government).