ISPs complained about Biden-era rule, said listing every fee was too hard.

cross-posted from: https://discuss.online/post/28602691

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.

  • Static_Rocket@lemmy.worldEnglish
    31·
    4 hours ago

    This is so dumb, how could anyone at the FCC even humor such a request?

    “Please help us, we overcomplicated billing and don’t want to explain it to anyone”

  • redlemace@lemmy.worldEnglish
    20·
    4 hours ago

    I look into my crystal ball and foresee new fees, no later than 4 cpu clock-cycles after the kill of the requirement.

  • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zipEnglish
    1·
    4 hours ago

    Find the place with the highest fee, roll it into the base price that you offer nationwide. Problem solved. In the place where it’s exactly as high as that, you won’t make any profit. Anywhere it’s lower than that, you will make a profit.

    • bleistift2@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      16·
      4 hours ago

      Let’s be real here. The problem isn’t that it’s “too complicated” to list the fees. What’s complicated about listing a few numbers? The problem is that they don’t want to list a myriad of fees.

      The fact that “tell your customers what you will charge them” is a rule that had to be instantiated in the Biden legislation is in itself a joke.

        • redlemace@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          3 hours ago

          absolutely right. Just like airline tickets, hotels and the like. Marketing got in the way… Look we only cost 5 euro but the 299.87 worth of fees we have to add and/or collect on behalf of others makes the price go up.

          Well guess what, so has the competitors! And guess again: I don’t give a shit about that break-down, just give me the final figure. That’s what I have to pay. So that all matters doesn’t it? No need for you to tell me how you spend it, the money yours after the sale.