Press Releases
FCC Initiates Cable Provider Junk Fee Crackdown to Lower Families’ Costs as Industry Lobbyists Turn Up Volume
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the Biden administration’s latest effort to lower costs for Americans by barring excessive and often-hidden industry junk fees, today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to initiate a proposed rule barring cable providers from charging “early termination fees” that can often exceed $200. The effort is already facing stiff resistance from major cable providers and trade groups, which have spent tens of millions of dollars lobbying against federal efforts to bar providers from charging early termination fees, a new Accountable.US analysis found.
By moving to ban needless early cable termination fees, the Biden administration is working to lower costs for families and putting consumers before corporations. Americans should have the power to end services they don’t want without being price-gouged with hundreds of dollars in termination junk fees. But lobbyists for the big cable providers are spending millions to maintain a broken system where consumer freedom comes with costly strings attached. Cable CEOs chasing profits would rather make excuses for junk fees than consider it’s a big reason why so many of their customers are cutting the cord."
Accountable.US’ Liz Zelnick.
A newly released national survey commissioned by Accountable.US found Americans overwhelmingly believe cracking down on price gouging by banning junk fees will lower their costs.
