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“Nutrition Facts” style labels for internet plans are finally a reality.
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As of Wednesday, the FCC requires internet providers to break down costs and services for their customers.
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The FCC says the move will foster competition and put consumers in charge of their services.
If you’ve ever had trouble figuring out exactly how much your internet provider is charging you or how much internet speed you’re actually getting, the FCC is here to help.
The Federal Communications Commission now requires internet providers to provide a breakdown of all costs, fees, and speeds associated with their plans in a simple “Nutrition Facts” format, similar to the one found on the back of a bag of potato chips. We are asking our customers to provide this information to their customers.
The FCC said in a press release Wednesday that starting April 10, all Internet businesses with 100,000 or more customers will be required to display these labels at every point of sale, both online and in stores. . This includes companies that provide both home or fixed internet services and mobile broadband.
Providers with fewer than 100,000 customers have until October to roll out the label.
And the labels aren’t just designed for new customers. Internet service providers must make labels available to existing customers in their online account portal and provide labels upon customer request.
Specifically, the label must include various details such as introductory fees, data allowances, contract length, and early termination fees. It must also include links to information about network management practices and privacy policies, the FCC said.
“Broadband Labels are designed to provide clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about the cost and performance of high-speed Internet service,” the FCC said in a press release. “This label is modeled after the FDA’s nutrition label and is intended to help consumers compare and shop for the internet service plan that best fits their needs and budget.”
The label took eight years to create.
According to Reuters, the FCC first proposed Nutrition Facts-style labels as a voluntary option in 2016, but did not make them mandatory until 2022 following an order from Congress under the Infrastructure Act of 2021.
Some ISPs have brought forward the FCC’s April 10 deadline. Google Fiber was one of the first ISPs to roll out the label in October 2023, with Verizon following last month.
Read the original article on Business Insider
