The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is set to initiate a review of the customer support services provided to consumers by broadband service providers.
According to a Notice of Inquiry issued in late October, the FCC will seek information from providers of cable, broadband, satellite television, and voice services regarding their current customer service practices. Specifically, the FCC will request information on the following issues:
- Cancellation policies, including information on cancellation options and disclosure of cancellation policies and practices;
- Automatic renewal of service policies, including consent requirements for auto-renew and price increases following a trial or promotion period;
- Access to live representatives, including methods to speed consumer access to customer service representatives;
- Installation, outage, and service call rules, including application of rules currently applicable to cable operators to include satellite television, voice, and broadband service providers;
- Individuals with disabilities, including steps to improve accessibility to customer service resources for those with disabilities; and
- Expanded cable customer service resources, including updating current cable operator requirements to reflect market and technology dynamics.
The Commission says that its Inquiry is intended to identify ways to improve the quality and ease of customer services experienced by consumers and broadband subscribers.
The FCC’s Notice of Inquiry regarding broadband customer support services is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-110A1.pdf.
