FCC lets “billion-dollar” ISPs hide fees and data caps, Democrat says
Even small ISPs owned by conglomerates exempt from billing rules after FCC vote.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai argued that requiring ISPs to "devote scarce resources" to filling out paperwork instead of deploying broadband is "not in the interest of the consumer."
Except that the White House's Office of Management and Budget found that complying with the transparency rule enhancements "would take each broadband provider 6.8 hours annually."
So now 9.7 million subscribers will be deprived of information such as:
* Price—the full monthly service charge. Any promotional rates should be clearly noted as such, specify the duration of the promotional period, and note the full monthly service charge the consumer will incur after the expiration of the promotional period.
* Other fees—all additional one-time and/or recurring fees and/or surcharges the consumer may incur either to initiate, maintain, or discontinue service, including the name, definition, and cost of each additional fee. These may include modem rental fees, installation fees, service charges, and early termination fees, among others.
* Data caps and allowances—any data caps or allowances that are a part of the plan the consumer is purchasing, as well as the consequences of exceeding the cap or allowance (e.g., additional charges, loss of service for the remainder of the billing cycle).
Have a comment?