The New FCC Broadband Label: How to Read It Before Signing an ISP Contract

What the FCC Broadband Label Must Disclose

Inspired by food nutrition labels, the FCC Broadband Label is a standardized disclosure document every ISP must display prominently on their website for every service plan. Before signing any internet contract, find and check this label. Here is what each section means.

Section 1: Monthly Price

The label must show the full monthly price including all fees — not the promotional introductory price. It must disclose when the promotional period ends and what the price becomes, any installation or equipment fees, and early termination fees. This section eliminates the most common ISP bait-and-switch.

Section 2: Speeds

The label must disclose both "Typical Download Speed" and "Typical Upload Speed" — defined as the 80th percentile of actual customer speeds on that plan. The key word is typical, not maximum. If you see "Up to 1 Gbps" in an ad but the label shows "Typical: 780 Mbps/15 Mbps" — the label is the honest number.

Section 3: Data

Data cap in GB per month, overage charges, and what happens when the cap is reached (throttling speed must be stated). If there is no cap, the label must say "None." This section catches hidden cap policies that many customers discover only on their first overage bill.

Section 4: Network Management

This section must disclose any traffic management practices — including throttling of specific applications or protocols. After the repeal of net neutrality rules, ISPs can legally throttle video streaming — but they must now disclose it on this label. If an ISP's label says they "manage video streaming traffic," they are telling you in advance they throttle Netflix.

Section 5: Privacy

Whether the ISP sells your browsing data, usage information, or network activity to third parties. This section is frequently alarming on reading. Many major ISPs explicitly state they sell aggregate usage data to advertisers.