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The FCC is considering updates to its broadband consumer label rules to reduce compliance burdens for providers at their open meeting July 22.

Edited by Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

July 7, 2026 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to consider a proposal later this month that would update its broadband consumer label rules to reduce compliance burdens for service providers.

According to a July 1 FCC fact sheet, the draft report and order would simplify disclosure requirements if adopted at the FCC’s July 22 open meeting. The document states that the initial 2022 framework created complex labels that strayed beyond the statutory framework and increased administrative costs.

The fact sheet notes that the proposed rules would permit phone sales representatives to summarize label information conversationally rather than read definitions verbatim.

The document also states that providers could utilize direct hyperlinks at the point of sale and within customer portals instead of displaying full labels.

Additionally, the fact sheet outlines that the draft would eliminate the requirement to maintain separate machine-readable spreadsheets, remove the two-year archiving mandate for discontinued plans, and allow providers to list variable passthrough fees as an “up to” maximum rather than providing a full itemization.

The proposed update would also remove references to the now-expired Affordable Connectivity Program, according to the fact sheet.

Finally, the FCC document notes that providers would still be required to maintain accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities and continue providing labels in English and any other language used in their marketing materials.

Some AI tools also assisted in the crafting of this report.

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