# 2026-16503: FCC Okays Casual Chit-Chat for Broadband Sales Labels 2026-16503, Empowering Broadband Consumers Through Transparency, is a Federal Register rule from Federal Communications Commission published 2026-08-13, effective 2026-09-14; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-20). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16503 - As of: 2026-08-20 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Document number: 2026-16503 - Title: Empowering Broadband Consumers Through Transparency - Type: Rule - Agencies: Federal Communications Commission - Citation: 91 FR 52251 - Published: 2026-08-13 - Effective: 2026-09-14 - Comments close: not stated - Significant: no - Touches household money: yes - Regulation identifier numbers: none - Last updated: 2026-08-20 ## In one line FCC Okays Casual Chit-Chat for Broadband Sales Labels ## Summary In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) eliminates or modifies certain broadband label requirements to ensure that consumers have clear, accurate, and concise information when shopping for broadband plans. Specifically, the Commission enables providers to describe label information in a natural, conversational style over the phone; simplify fee presentation to avoid clutter; remove outdated information from the label; use links or icons at point-of-sale to avoid unwieldy amounts of information that can overwhelm consumers; and eliminate requirements that go beyond our mandate. At the same time, the Commission ensures the labels remain accessible to people with disabilities, and that labels are displayed in the same language(s) used when marketing a service. ## Effects PRIA read - Phone sales: conversational label summaries: benefit, medium. When you buy broadband by phone, sales reps may speak in a natural, conversational way instead of reading the full label word-for-word. During the call the rep must orally summarize these label fields: monthly price (including monthly fees and any introductory rate and its duration), typical downlo… - Passthrough fees: use 'up to' or totals: benefit, medium. Providers may show passthrough fees as a single maximum "up to" amount or as the exact total for a specific location instead of itemizing every location-specific fee. If a provider uses an "up to" amount, the label must break that total into (1) maximum governmental passthrough fees and (2) maximum… - Point-of-sale and portal links allowed: benefit, medium. Providers may use a prominently placed link or icon at the point of sale and in customer account portals instead of showing the full broadband label. Any link or icon must connect directly to the specific plan's label, appear close to the advertised plan, and be clearly identified so you can access… - Remove expired Affordable Connectivity Program info: benefit, low. Providers no longer must include information about the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) on broadband labels; the Order notes the program ended on June 1, 2024. The Commission removed this label requirement to avoid confusing consumers about an expired program. - Providers no longer must archive old labels: mixed, low. Providers are no longer required to archive broadband labels for at least two years after a plan is no longer offered to new customers. The Commission removed the two-year archiving requirement, saying other records (service agreements, bills) and investigative tools remain available. - Labels must remain accessible and multilingual: benefit, medium. The Commission keeps the rules requiring labels to be accessible to people with disabilities and to be displayed in English and any other language(s) in which a provider markets its services in the United States and its territories. Providers must ensure labels are compatible with assistive technol… ## Related documents - [2026-22833](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22833): Television Broadcasting Services Odessa, Texas, 2026-11-09 - [2026-22600](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22600): Modernizing Spectrum Sharing for Satellite Broadband, 2026-11-05 - [2026-22574](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22574): Information Collections Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget, 2026-11-05 - [2026-22573](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22573): Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission, 2026-11-05 - [2026-22601](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22601): Video Relay Service Improvements; Incarcerated People's Communication Services; Implementation of the Martha Wright-Reed Act; Rates for Int…, 2026-11-05 - [2026-22408](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-22408): Review of the Commission's Broadcast and Cable Equal Employment Opportunity Rules and Policies; Delete, Delete, Delete, 2026-11-03 ## Sources - [2026-16503 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/08/13/2026-16503/empowering-broadband-consumers-through-transparency) - [2026-16503 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-08-13/pdf/2026-16503.pdf) ## Related - [Previous: 2026-16465, Group Registration of Updates to a News Website](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16465) - [Next: 2026-16504, Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16504) - [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-16503 (as of 2026-08-20).