Public Interest Groups Urge FCC To Lower Broadband Costs, Increase Consumer Choice for Apartment Residents

The Federal Communications Commission may propose rules and seek public comment on how to best lower costs and address the lack of choice for broadband services available to households in apartments, condos, public housing, and other multi-tenant buildings. Thirty-one organizations wrote to the FCC to express their support for opt-out of bulk billing arrangements. As they exist now, bulk billing arrangements sacrifice consumer choice to preserve in-building monopolies at the expense of tenants. For the many tenants trapped with high-cost or less-capable internet that does not meet their needs, an opt out option provides a vital escape. This is especially true for those eligible for low-income plans or Lifeline subsidy, which by definition are not available in a bulk billing arrangement. It also introduces competitive pressure to ensure that landlords and ISPs do not enter sweetheart deals at the expense of tenants—particularly low-income tenants. The best way to determine whether bulk billing does more harm or more good, whether providers genuinely need 100% sign up to make service viable, or other questions as to whether allowing opt out better serves the public by offering more competition, is to move forward with a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. The FCC can add questions that have emerged as a result of the recent barrage of presentations, and receive broad public input to address these questions.