FCC Proposes Rules For Collecting Price And Subscription Rates Of Affordable Connectivity Program Service Offerings

The Federal Communications Commission has proposed rules for collecting data on the price and subscription rates of internet service offerings received by households enrolled in the Affordable Connectivity Program, to comply with a mandate in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeks comment on the data to be collected, format for publishing, and timing of the collection, as well as measures for protecting personally identifiable or proprietary information. The NPRM proposes to collect information through the National Lifeline Accountability Database to minimize burdens on households and participating providers. As required by the Infrastructure Act, the NPRM also seeks comment on the interplay between the Affordable Connectivity Program transparency data collection and broadband consumer labels. The Act requires the FCC to make data collected available to the public, and the proposal seeks comment on what data to make public. Additionally, the FCC is seeking comment on other administrative aspects of the collection, including the timing of the initial collection and updates to the data.