Starting today, ISPs must display labels with price, speeds, and data caps

Absolutely ridiculous that it took this long for them to tell us what they are selling.

GIGA huge MASSIVE!!!!!! (30MBPS)
- And the tiny text that reads "*30mpbs downlink speed, 5mpbs uplink speed. Studies from the 90s have shown morons like you don't need useful upload speeds lmao"
- Up to. Actual speeds may vary by time of day, over subscription, lobbying, and the your local consumer protection regulations.
- Blazing fast (compared to throwing your computer into mud pit)
Most states already regulate this, but it's nice to see the federal entity functioning like it's supposed to.

Data caps in 2024.. first world country.. allegedly.

first world country
That just means NATO, not high on the human development index.
- That is the original meaning. The colloquial meaning is different. Language is fluid.
- Actually, the US was downgraded to “developing nation” for lack of nationwide accessible healthcare in 2017.
Not in my area. Our local ISPs are great, I have 2 options for fiber at affordable prices, with no data caps. Fuck comcast and AT&T - it's the biggest ISPs that push bullshit like that on the public.

“Today’s nationwide launch of the Broadband Consumer Labels means internet service providers are now required to display consumer-friendly labels at the point of sale,” the Federal Communications Commission said. “Labels are required for all standalone home or fixed Internet service or mobile broadband plans. Providers must display the label—not simply an icon or link to the label—in close proximity to an associated plan’s advertisement.”
The labels are required now for providers with at least 100,000 subscribers, while ISPs with fewer customers have until October 10, 2024, to comply. “If a provider is not displaying their labels or has posted inaccurate information about its fees or service plans, consumers can file a complaint with the FCC Consumer Complaint Center,” an agency webpage says.

Because of course the FCC has a CCC
the FCCCCC, even.
Helpful quote though, thanks.
- The democrats just got majority of the FCC in October. They passed this, and are almost ready to reenact Net Neutrality, despite Carr’s stalling tactics.

I mean this is nice and all but for it to matter I would need to have options available.

My power company installed fiber on the power lines and started their own ISP. So my co-op is my ISP. Kinda nice
You should call yours and find out if they have any plans for it.
- Yea same here. I actually moved to a new area of the country in part to have access to quality municipal fiber.
Comcast raised my rate my 30% a few weeks ago and I went on a rage filled search for a replacement. The only other providers are either barely usable or starlink.
- Call up, say you want to cancel, because you found a deal with another internet provider for whatever low price you paying originally. After they confirm you're "sure you want to leave" they'll offer you the reduced rate in return for you staying on with them. I've done it a couple times now, cuts my internet bill in half for like a year
I was in a neighborhood where we had FOUR competitors, all giving reasonable pricing. I immediately went to customer service and told them I'm switching, and they magically found a way to keep me happy.
I am now in a neighborhood with only Comcast cable and Verizon DSL. The pricing is $40 vs $120 for basic speed. The competition when there's only two carriers is a lie.
At the very least, Rocket Money has a service where they call your cable company and get you a reduced rate in exchange for a cut of what you save. It's a lot more convenient and effective than doing it yourself. I hate that the system has come to this, but it's better than paying full price for a service you are basically forced to use.
- Weird

So we get to clearly see how shitty our only ISP option is.

This is some bullshit if this is in compliance. I had to enter my address for the quote, still doesn't show what the fucking taxes are, or real price.

Edit: Not in compliance "The labels must include any additional monthly charges, one-time fees, early termination fees, and taxes." filed fcc complaint. Fuck Comcast.

“Comcast and other ISPs complained that listing every monthly fee would be too difficult”
This is very hard to reach compliance, but you’re not smart enough to understand why.
- sometimes asking a computer to add and multiply numbers is just too hard
I'm guessing they have until the end of the day to be in compliance and they will wait until the very last second.
- Ars article was posted on the 10th. This was taken on the 11th.

What country? Anyway, good, good.

EDIT: ah, USA. Fix your ISPs already.

well this is a step towards that
- Good, good.

You mean they didn't have to tell you price and speed already? Ffs! 🤦

They had to give you a price and a speed, but often that price gets jacked way up with hidden fees, and the speeds they provide are usually just speeds you could get during off peak hours.

Google has its issues as a company, but I’m pretty happy with symmetrical gigabit for $70.70 a month. I’m pretty sure 2 gigabit, and possibly 5, are also available at my location, but I’d have to upgrade all my network stuff to use that.

I’m pretty sure 2 gigabit, and possibly 5, are also available at my location,
Even if those speeds are available, there are very few residential use cases where the additional speed will be useful or worth the extra money.

Lol, all of Spectrum's plans (outside gig) say "Typical Upload: 10Mbs or higher"

Why is it so hard for ISPs to provide a higher upload speed

Yeah I get 370 mbps down but only 10 mbps up why can't I at least have around 50 up? Is it really that hard or just capitalism? lol
- Mines about the same so I assume it's intentionally being throttled.
Balancing, customer needs, limitation of hardware/infrastructure. Copper doesn't handle symmetrical download and upload as well (this is where fiber comes in). There can be too much noise resulting in degraded consistency. Its prone to interference and leaks. To improve reliability, you get asymmetrical plans. Most people just want download. Which has historically been the cheaper choice. An example local to my area, a home plan will be 800 down and 20 up. A business plan will be 500 down and 300 up. The business plan costs more.
- Yeah, but nowadays with self hosting, cloud synced apps, peer to peer game matchmaking, and working from home... Cable is practically useless, yet still the only option in some places.
  I switched to 5G. Get the same download and was more upload for less money. Latency is a little lame sometimes. It's not terrific for online gaming. But it's better for everything else.
Sonic internet provides 10Gb up and down. I have no idea how they do it, but I love them.

Saying things like "up to 25 Mbps" is well and good, but it doesn't fix the problem that ISPs don't invest in ensuring the availability of sufficient network bandwidth for speeds to actually be what is promised, and doesn't fix the problem that the definition of bandwidth should be well beyond 25 Mbps by this point, with a minimum upload speed of far beyond the laughable 3 Mbps minimum.

Now all we have to do is get ISPs to define what they consider a data cap.

Every single ISP has unlimited Internet as long as you don't exceed a certain amount of data and then you get 56k speeds.

Where in the whole world?

Rule #4.

Cable companies need to be forced to provide alternative last mile providers, just like DSL is for telcos. There's no reason PPPoE can not work in cable network infrastructure.

I recently switched back to AT&T since they're currently in a non data-cap phase. Hopefully this will keep them there.

It depends on where you live.
Area with competition? No data cap
Area without competition? Data cap
Literally moved from one area to another, both AT&T within 1 hr driving distance from each other. One has a cap. The other doesn't.

Wait, wasn't always like this? Also data caps? Is this talking about mobile or wifi internet?

Checking the details of my plan revealed they stopped giving me a paperless discount months ago. I guess I know what I'll be doing for the next four hours...

Also confirmed I still get sub 25Mbs upload unless I stick to their most expensive plan... at which point I get sub 40Mbs. I hate to say this, but I miss having an area served by Verizon FiOS.