WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVVA) – U.S. Sen. Mark Warner and seven colleagues called on Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr to reverse a proposal that would weaken the broadband “label” rules meant to help people understand what they’re buying before they sign up. In a letter to the FCC, the senators say the change would bring back the billing confusion Congress tried to fix and would hurt consumers — especially seniors, people with disabilities and rural households who often shop by phone.Congress told the FCC to create broadband labels under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act so internet plans would be easy to compare — like a nutrition label for services. Those labels spell out speeds, data limits, fees and other terms up front. The FCC adopted the rules unanimously in 2022, and providers have already started using the labels.Now the agency is proposing to roll some of that back. Warner and the other senators say the proposal would:Let companies bundle optional or discretionary fees into vague line items instead of listing them separately, which makes it hard to compare total prices;Allow providers to hide labels from the same online account portals customers use to check their plans months after signing up;Exempt phone sales from point-of-sale disclosure rules, cutting out transparency for people who sign up by phone;Remove requirements that labels be available in the same languages used in advertising; andStrip machine-readable formats and archiving requirements that watchdogs use to analyze pricing trends and spot bad actors.Why this matters for everyday people If the FCC allows providers to bundle fees or remove labels from account portals, families shopping for internet may no longer know the true total cost of a plan until extra fees appear on their bills. That makes comparison shopping useless and opens the door to surprise charges and bait‑and‑switch practices. Remote and rural customers, older adults and people with disabilities — groups that often enroll by phone — could be the most affected.What the senators want Warner and his colleagues asked Chairman Carr to withdraw or substantially revise the proposal and keep the transparency protections Congress intended. They argue labels should remain clear, persistent and available in the same language as advertisements so consumers can actually see and understand what they’re buying.What happens next The FCC will consider public comments on the proposal before taking final action. The senators’ letter adds pressure from lawmakers to maintain the existing label rules. Consumer groups and state attorneys general have also raised concerns about the FCC’s proposal.You can read the senators’ full letter here.Copyright 2025 WVVA. All rights reserved. Read More