Brendan Carr wants to let internet providers charge hidden fees again

Broadband customers may find themselves blighted by unexpected charges again, thanks to Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr. The FCC has submitted a proposal to revise “unnecessary” requirements for internet service providers to itemize every fee on monthly bills, citing that it “may confuse customers.”

The proposal comes in response to complaints by ISPs over a Biden-era transparency rule that took effect in April 2024, arguing that their self-inflicted billing complexity made it impractical and burdensome to list every fee they impose on consumers. Compliance with the rule requires that ISPs either create a broadband “nutrition label” that makes it easier for consumers to accurately compare plan prices and avoid hidden fees, or include those hidden charges in the overall price.

The FCC isn’t seeking to ditch itemized labels entirely, it’s specifically targeting requirements for making labels inclusive of location-based fees, machine-readable, multi-lingual, and available to customers over the phone and on online account portals. However, the proposal is also examining ways to further streamline or eliminate “any other label requirements that are unduly burdensome and provide minimal benefit to consumers,” which could further impact how labels are presented when shopping for new broadband plans.

In a blog post heralding the proposal on Monday, Carr said that broadband labels are being examined to “focus on consumer protection,” and to “separate the wheat from the chaff.” A vote on the changes has been scheduled for October 28th, and requires FCC approval before it can take effect.

The proposal falls under the “Delete, Delete, Delete” initiative Carr launched in March that aims appease President Donald Trump’s order to remove as many government regulations as possible. As noted by Ars Technica, the Internet and Television Association (NCTA) lobby group specifically appealed to the FCC under this initiative to have fee itemization rules scrapped, after similar requirements were first imposed on cable and satellite TV providers in March.