Proposed Rule2025-21807
Empowering Broadband Consumers Through Transparency; Delete, Delete, Delete
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Published
December 3, 2025
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
In this document, the Commission seeks comment on several changes to the broadband label rules. Specifically, the Commission proposes to eliminate requirements that providers: (1) read the label to consumers over the phone; (2) itemize state and local passthrough fees that vary by location; (3) provide information about the now- concluded Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP); (4) display labels in customer account portals; (5) make labels available in machine readable format; and (6) archive labels for at least two years after a service is no longer offered to new customers. The Commission also seeks comment on streamlining and eliminating any other label requirement, such as the multilingual display requirement, that may be unduly burdensome and costly. The Commission also proposes to end our inquiry into new requirements that would take the labels out of alignment with the authorizing statute.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 230 (Wednesday, December 3, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 230 (Wednesday, December 3, 2025)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55713-55716]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-21807]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 64
[CG Docket No. 22-2, GN Docket No. 25-133; FCC 25-74; FR ID 319500]
Empowering Broadband Consumers Through Transparency; Delete,
Delete, Delete
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission seeks comment on several
changes to the broadband label rules. Specifically, the Commission
proposes to eliminate requirements that providers: (1) read the label
to consumers over the phone; (2) itemize state and local passthrough
fees that vary by location; (3) provide information about the now-
concluded Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP); (4) display labels in
customer account portals; (5) make labels available in machine readable
format; and (6) archive labels for at least two years after
[[Page 55714]]
a service is no longer offered to new customers. The Commission also
seeks comment on streamlining and eliminating any other label
requirement, such as the multilingual display requirement, that may be
unduly burdensome and costly. The Commission also proposes to end our
inquiry into new requirements that would take the labels out of
alignment with the authorizing statute.
DATES: Comments are due on or before January 2, 2026 and reply comments
are due on or before February 2, 2026.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by CG Docket No. 22-2
and GN Docket No. 25-133, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically
using the internet by accessing the ECFS: <a href="http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/">http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/</a>.
<bullet> Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must
file an original and one copy of each filing.
<bullet> Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by
commercial courier, or by the U.S. Postal Service. All filings must be
addressed to the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
<bullet> Hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for
the Commission's Secretary are accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
by the FCC's mailing contractor at 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis
Junction, MD 20701. All hand deliveries must be held together with
rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of
before entering the building.
<bullet> Commercial courier deliveries (other than U.S. Postal
Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction
Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
<bullet> Filings sent by U.S. Postal Service First-Class Mail,
Priority Mail, and Priority Mail Express must be sent to 45 L Street
NE, Washington, DC 20554.
<bullet> People with Disabilities. To request materials in
accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print,
electronic files, audio format), send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#64020707515450240207074a030b12"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8ee8ededbbbebacee8ededa0e9e1f8">[email protected]</span></a> or
call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530
(voice), 202-418-0432 (TTY).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michelle Branigan of the Consumer
Policy Division, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f69b9f959e939a9a93d8948497989f919798b6909595d8919980"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="86ebefe5eee3eaeae3a8e4f4e7e8efe1e7e8c6e0e5e5a8e1e9f0">[email protected]</span></a>, 202-418-1345.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Second
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Second NPRM), in CG Docket No.
22-2 and GN Docket No. 25-133; FCC 25-74, adopted on October 28, 2025
and released on November 3, 2025. The full text of document FCC 25-74
is available online at <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-proposes-simplify-broadband-labels-consumers">https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-proposes-simplify-broadband-labels-consumers</a>. To request this document in
accessible formats for people with disabilities (e.g., Braille, large
print, electronic files, audio format) or to request reasonable
accommodations (e.g., accessible format documents, sign language
interpreters, CART), send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b2d4d1d1878286f2d4d1d19cd5ddc4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a1c7c2c2949195e1c7c2c28fc6ced7">[email protected]</span></a> or call the FCC's
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice).
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Act: The Commission has prepared an
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) concerning the potential
impact of rule and policy change proposals on small entities in the
Notice. The Commission invites the general public, in particular small
businesses, to comment on the IRFA. Comments must be filed by the
deadlines for comments on the FNPRM indicated on the first page of this
document and must have a separate and distinct heading designating them
as responses to the IRFA.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995: This document may contain proposed
new and revised information collection requirements. The Commission, as
part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the
general public and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to comment
on the information collection requirements described in this document,
as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13.
In addition, pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of
2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), we seek specific
comment on how we might further reduce the information collection
burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act: The Providing
Accountability Through Transparency Act, Public Law 118-9, requires
each agency, in providing notice of a rulemaking, to post online a
brief plain language summary of the proposed rule. The required summary
of this Second Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making is available at
<a href="https://www.fcc.gov/">https://www.fcc.gov/</a> proposed-rulemakings. To request materials in
accessible formats for people with disabilities (e.g. Braille, large
print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#086e6b6b3d383c486e6b6b266f677e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d4b2b7b7e1e4e094b2b7b7fab3bba2">[email protected]</span></a>
or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530.
Ex Parte Rules: The proceeding the Second FNPRM initiates shall be
treated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding in accordance with the
Commission's ex parte rules. Persons making ex parte presentations must
file a copy of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any
oral presentation within two business days after the presentation
(unless a different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period
applies). Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that
memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons
attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex
parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and
arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted
in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already
reflected in the presenter's written comments, memoranda or other
filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such
data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other
filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where
such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the
memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex
parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must
be filed consistent with Sec. 1.1206(b) of the Commission's rules. In
proceedings governed by Sec. 1.49(f) of the Commission's rules or for
which the Commission has made available a method of electronic filing,
written ex parte presentations and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte
presentations, and all attachments thereto, must, when feasible, be
filed through the electronic comment filing system available for that
proceeding, and must be filed in their native format (e.g., .doc, .xml,
.ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants in this proceeding should
familiarize themselves with the Commission's ex parte rules.
Synopsis
1. In this document, the Commission seeks comment on proposals to
eliminate certain broadband label requirements that may impose
unnecessary costs and burdens on providers without improving the
utility of the broadband label for consumers. Specifically, the
Commission proposes to eliminate requirements that providers: (1) read
the label to consumers over the phone; (2) itemize state and local
passthrough fees that vary by location; (3) provide information about
the now-concluded Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP); (4) display
labels in customer account
[[Page 55715]]
portals; (5) make labels available in machine readable format; and (6)
archive labels for at least two years after a service is no longer
offered to new customers. We also seek comment on streamlining and
eliminating any other label requirement, such as the multilingual
display requirement, that may be unduly burdensome and costly. We also
propose to end our inquiry into new requirements that would take the
labels out of alignment with the authorizing statute.
2. The Commission believes that these proposals are consistent with
Congress's intent in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Public
Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429, section 60504(a) (2021) (Infrastructure
Act), when it directed the Commission to ``require the display of
broadband consumer labels.'' The remaining broadband label requirements
fulfill the Infrastructure Act's goals of preserving consumer access to
clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about the cost for
broadband services, empowering consumers to choose services that best
meet their needs and match their budgets, and ensuring that they are
informed about a service plan's offerings.
3. The Commission's experience with the broadband labels since
their rollout suggests that there is room to refine the requirements to
better align with Congressional intent in the Infrastructure Act and
reduce compliance burden while retaining their value for consumers. The
proposals in the document also reflect industry and consumer feedback
based on experience with the labels and several comments submitted in
response to the Delete, Delete, Delete Public Notice.
4. Alternate Sales Channels. The Commission proposes to remove the
requirement that providers read labels to customers that shop for
broadband service by phone. The rules define ``point of sale'' to
include websites and any other channel through which the service is
sold, including retail locations and over the phone. The Commission
believes that, because the label is fundamentally a visual medium of
conveying broadband service information, its format does not easily
lend itself to presentation in a telephone conversation. The document
proposes to exclude telephone calls from the definition of ``point of
sale.'' The Commission seeks comment on this proposal. Is it correct
that the requirement is burdensome and does not help consumers? Does
the proposal to exclude telephone calls from ``point of sale'' resolve
the problem, without creating additional concerns? Are there other
alternate sales channels that also should be excluded from the
definition of ``point of sale''? For example, should the Commission
limit ``point of sale'' to the provider's website and retail locations?
Would the proposal to remove the requirement that providers offer the
labels over the phone lessen the burden on providers and reduce
potential confusion for consumers? Section 8.1(a)(1) of Commission
rules state that ``The label must be prominently displayed, publicly
available, and easily accessible to consumers, including consumers with
disabilities. . . .'' If the proposal is adopted, how can the
Commission ensure providers comply with this disability-access
requirement?
5. Itemized Recurring Fees that Vary by Location. The Commission
proposes to eliminate the requirement that providers itemize
discretionary, recurring monthly fees that represent fees related to
government programs that they choose to pass through to consumers if
the fees vary by consumer location. Fees that vary by location may
require providers to produce multiple, and potentially multiple labels
for identical services. The Commission seeks comment on whether
providers should instead display on the label the aggregate amount of
such fees. If the Commission adopts this proposal and allows providers
to aggregate the fees, i.e., display all such fees on a single line,
should we require that the amount associated with the line be the
actual, precise amount of those fees? Should the Commission instead
require only that it state the maximum (or ``up to'') amount consumers
would incur? What other factors should the Commission consider? Would
this proposal incentivize providers to market broadband services
differently, and, if so, how?
6. Affordable Connectivity Plan. The Commission proposes to
permanently eliminate the requirement that providers include ACP
information in the broadband label because that program is no longer
funded by Congress and ended on June 1, 2024. The label's purpose is to
provide clear, easy-to-understand, and accurate information about
broadband services, and including information about a program that no
longer exists would be confusing. The Commission seeks comment on this
proposal.
7. Customer Account Portal. The Commission proposes to eliminate
the requirement that providers display the broadband label in
customers' account portals. As data and prices change, the original
label could become outdated and no longer useful. The Commission states
that such a requirement is not mandated by the Infrastructure Act. The
Commission seeks comment on this proposal. Is it correct that
displaying the label in customers' account portals may create confusion
over time? Does the display of labels in customers' account portals
promote transparency for consumers and is it their primary way of
referencing the characteristics and terms of their service? Are there
other ways that providers ensure that customers have access to the
information in the broadband label?
8. Machine Readability. The Commission proposes to eliminate the
requirement that providers display label information included in the
label available to the public in a machine-readable format and seeks
comment on this proposal. This includes the related requirement to
provide the information in any label separately in a spreadsheet file
format on provider websites via a dedicated uniform resource locator
(URL) that contains all of their labels. This requirement was not
addressed in the Infrastructure Act. The Commission is unconvinced that
the machine-readability requirement is a necessary component for
transparency. Machine readability might facilitate research or
comparisons across many providers' plans by third parties, but appears
only indirectly related to making the providers' labels helpful to
consumers who are shopping for broadband service. Is there evidence the
requirement has benefited consumers or will benefit consumers in the
future? Are there third-party shopping comparison tools for broadband
internet access services that use the machine-readable spreadsheets?
9. Archiving. The Commission proposes to eliminate the requirement
that providers archive all labels for no less than two years after a
service plan is no longer available to new customers and has been
removed from the provider's website or alternate sales channels.
Congress did not expressly require that the FCC impose an archive
requirement in the Infrastructure Act. The Commission seeks comment on
whether the requirement represents a burden to providers. Is there any
value to the archive for consumers when the covered services are no
longer offered or available? Should the FCC retain a central repository
of these labels to aid enforcement?
10. Removing the Template from the CFR. The Commission seeks
comment on removing the label template from the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) and instead providing a link to a template on the
Commission's website. Doing so would allow the Commission to more
[[Page 55716]]
easily update the visual layout and other formatting elements of the
template. Would the Commission need to specify in its rules that
providers must include information in the label about monthly price,
additional charges and terms, discounts and bundles, speeds, data,
network management, privacy, and customer support? The Commission also
seeks comment on any other effects of its proposal to remove the
template from the CFR.
11. Updating the Template. The template in the CFR currently refers
to ``fcc.gov/consumer,'' which does not lead consumers directly to
information about the broadband labels. The Commission propose to
replace the ``fcc.gov/consumer'' reference in the template with
``fcc.gov/broadbandlabels'' so that consumers are brought directly to
broadband label information. The FCC seeks comment on this proposal.
12. As the implementation deadlines discussed in 47 CFR 8.1(a)(7)
have already passed, the Commission proposes to remove that rule
section, and seeks comment on this removal.
13. In the First Further Notice, the Commission proposed and sought
comment on a number of additional label requirements. For example, the
Commission sought comment on whether it should specify accessibility
standards, require display of labels in non-English languages beyond
those providers use for marketing, require the labels for bundled
services, require display of performance using measures other than
those that are ``typical,'' and whether labels should be interactive.
The Commission intends to close its inquiry into those proposals, and
thus seeks comment on whether these proposals benefit consumers,
whether the benefits outweigh the costs of implementation, and whether
they risk potentially confusing consumers.
14. The Commission also seeks comment on implementation issues,
such as the appropriate timeline for providers to implement changes to
the labels.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2025-21807 Filed 12-2-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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