FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Looks to Broadband Nutrition Label Enforcement

WASHINGTON, February 17, 2022 – Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel promoted the commission’s “broadband nutrition label” initiative Thursday and said she looks forward to working with state attorneys general on its enforcement.

At an event hosted by the University of Colorado law school on Thursday, Rosenworcel promoted her agency’s latest transparency measure, which requires broadband providers to list their services’ pricing and speed information to consumers. The nutrition labels would use standard listing, including information such as download and upload speeds and the cost of introductory rates. The commission voted to approve the measure last month.

Rosenworcel also said state attorneys general can enforce violations of companies’ commitment to post their “nutrition labels” through their state’s consumer protection statute, which prohibit deception to consumers. Rosenworcel said she looks forward to more coordination between state attorneys general and the FCC on enforcement of the labels.

Rosenworcel said the commission’s goal is to mandate the labels by November 2022, the one-year anniversary of the passage of the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act.

“Look, you go to the grocery store and pull a box of cereal off the shelf and learn how many carbohydrates it has in it, you can take another box and compare it, because there’s a nutrition panel that’s black and white and super distinctive,” Rosenworcel said.

“We are absolutely copying the kinds of labels you see at the grocery store,” Rosenworcel added. “We want it to be that simple and iconic.”

Rosenworcel said the initiative “allows us to be good consumers” and promotes competition among broadband service providers. “When you buy broadband, it should be that simple,” she said. “Let’s borrow from what we see in our grocery stores and literally develop a broadband nutrition label so customers can compare one service to another.”