Study Reveals Patchy ISP Compliance With FCC Broadband Label Requirements

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2025 — A new academic study by York University researchers Jonathan A. Obar and Boxi Chen found internet service providers averaging just 5.2 out of 10 stars for compliance with Federal Communications Commission broadband label requirements, with most carriers ignoring standardized formatting despite agency-provided templates.

The FCC mandated broadband nutrition labels under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in 2021 during the Biden administration, requiring ISPs to display standardized disclosures about speed, pricing, and fees. The analysis evaluated 35 ISPs on FCC-mandated criteria including label placement, standardized formatting, machine-readable data files, and required policy links, plus voluntary accessibility measures.

Google Fiber and Sonic led compliance at 7.5 stars each, while larger carriers averaged 5.8 stars. Only 16 ISPs properly placed labels at the point of sale as required, and zero received full marks for complete labeling under FCC standards.

Most concerning for regulators: despite FCC-provided templates for standardized formatting, only six ISPs received full stars for proper formatting. Just Comcast's Xfinity division earned full marks for the mandated machine-readable format by providing downloadable .csv files.

Performance metrics like upload and download speeds scored better, with most ISPs meeting basic FCC disclosure requirements. However, zero carriers added voluntary accessibility features like video or audio content, which researchers evaluated as potential enhancements beyond minimum requirements.

The findings reveal significant compliance gaps in the FCC's signature transparency initiative nearly three years after implementation, raising enforcement questions as the agency prepares for potential leadership changes.