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.
As someone long accustomed to ISP bills that say little more than “you owe us $60 this month for 1 Internet” I’m finding it hard to imagine what is going on over there.
Over here it’s “you owe us $55 for 1 Internet, another $10 for your modem rental, $5 distribution fees, $9 local surcharge and $10 e-bill fee”. (Note there there is also a $12 paper bill fee if you don’t want the e-bill)
Don’t forget the $3 “governance” fee (not from the government), the $5 “line maintenance” fee, the $7 “I’m sure there was a reason for this one but we forgot” fee, and the $50 “fuck you we have a monopoly on this apartment what are you gonna do about it” fee.
don’t forget the ‘there will be an additional $7.50 used anal probe flavored fee beginning next month’
And I suppose your electric bill doesn’t have a “transport fee” that’s two to three times the amount you pay for the electricity you actually use.
nope. but we have an ‘account charge’ per meter, as well as a ‘cost adjustment’ that has never adjusted lower.
we’ve also had charges for meter replacements we never asked for or needed… not like the old spinny dial ones were broken. or the first digital one they put in… or the second. or the… i’m on my fifth meter in 25 years.