Trump’s FCC Moves to Roll Back ISP Transparency Rules, Allowing Hidden Fees to Return

The Republican-led FCC has voted to approve a proposal that would significantly weaken consumer protections in the broadband industry. On October 28, the commission passed a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would scale back the so-called “Broadband Facts labels”—commonly referred to as “nutrition labels” for internet plans—which have required ISPs to disclose detailed fee breakdowns since April 2024.

What Changed?

Under the current rules, internet service providers must clearly display pricing, hidden fees, connection speeds, and other service limitations to consumers at the point of sale. The Biden administration implemented these transparency requirements as part of broader efforts to combat “junk fees” in the telecom sector.

The Trump administration, under FCC Chair Brendan Carr, argues that these mandates impose unnecessary administrative costs on providers without substantial consumer benefits. However, the proposed rollback would fundamentally undermine consumer protections by eliminating requirements that ISPs:

• Read labels over the phone to customers
• Make labels available in account portals
• Provide a complete accounting of fees to consumers

All Republican commission members voted to approve the change, while the lone Democratic member dissented.

Consumer Impact and Industry Response

Industry advocates note that hidden fees can inflate consumer bills by up to 20%, and a 2024 study of nearly 5,000 broadband customers found an 85 percent satisfaction rate with the transparency labels. Despite these findings, major telecommunications players such as AT&T and Comcast have lobbied for lighter oversight, claiming that simplified disclosures would streamline operations and lower costs.

The proposal is particularly concerning for consumers in rural areas with limited ISP options, where monopolistic tendencies already limit bargaining power and consumer choice.

What Comes Next

While the FCC has voted on the NPRM, this is technically not yet final. A final vote is expected in the near future, and given the political makeup of the commission, the rollback is likely to pass. Once implemented, ISPs will no longer be required to provide transparent billing information, potentially returning to an era where consumers face surprise charges and ballooning bills after promotional rates expire.

The move represents part of a broader Trump administration effort to reduce federal consumer protections across multiple industries, echoing previous regulatory rollbacks such as the 2017 repeal of net neutrality protections.

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