47 U.S. Code § 562 - Requirements relating to charges for covered services

(a) Consumer rights in sales

(1) Right to transparency

Before entering into a contract with a consumer for the provision of a covered service, a provider of a covered service shall provide the consumer, by phone, in person, online, or by other reasonable means, the total monthly charge for the covered service, whether offered individually or as part of a bundled service, selected by the consumer (explicitly noting the amount of any applicable promotional discount reflected in such charge and when such discount will expire), including any related administrative fees, equipment fees, or other charges, a good faith estimate of any tax, fee, or charge imposed by the Federal Government or a State or local government (whether imposed on the provider or imposed on the consumer but collected by the provider), and a good faith estimate of any fee or charge that is used to recover any other assessment imposed on the provider by the Federal Government or a State or local government.

(2) Right to formal notice

A provider of a covered service that enters into a contract described in paragraph (1) shall, not later than 24 hours after entering into the contract, send the consumer, by email, online link, or other reasonably comparable means, a copy of the information described in such paragraph.

(3) Right to cancel

A provider of a covered service that enters into a contract described in paragraph (1) shall permit the consumer to cancel the contract, without paying early cancellation fees or other disconnection fees or penalties, during the 24-hour period beginning when the provider of the covered service sends the copy required by paragraph (2).

(b) Consumer rights in e-billing

If a provider of a covered service provides a bill to a consumer in an electronic format, the provider shall include in the bill—

(1) an itemized statement that breaks down the total amount charged for or relating to the provision of the covered service by the amount charged for the provision of the service itself and the amount of all related taxes, administrative fees, equipment fees, or other charges;

(2) the termination date of the contract for the provision of the covered service entered into between the consumer and the provider; and

(3) the termination date of any applicable promotional discount.

(c) Consumer rights to accurate equipment charges

A provider of a covered service or fixed broadband internet access service may not charge a consumer for—

(1) using covered equipment provided by the consumer; or

(2) renting, leasing, or otherwise providing to the consumer covered equipment if—

(A) the provider has not provided the equipment to the consumer; or

(B) the consumer has returned the equipment to the provider, except to the extent that the charge relates to the period beginning on the date when the provider provided the equipment to the consumer and ending on the date when the consumer returned the equipment to the provider.

(d) Definitions

In this section:

(1) Broadband internet access service

The term “broadband internet access service” has the meaning given such term in section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation.

(2) Covered equipment

The term “covered equipment” means equipment (such as a router) employed on the premises of a person (other than a provider of a covered service or fixed broadband internet access service) to provide a covered service or to provide fixed broadband internet access service.

(3) Covered service

The term “covered service” means service provided by a multichannel video programming distributer, [1] to the extent such distributor is acting as a multichannel video programming distributor.

(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 642, as added Pub. L. 116–94, div. P, title X, § 1004(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3200.)

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[1]  So in original. Probably should be “distributor,”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 116–94, div. P, title X, § 1004(b), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3201, provided that:

“Section 642 of the Communications Act of 1934 [47 U.S.C. 562], as added by subsection (a) of this section, shall apply beginning on the date that is 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019]. The Federal Communications Commission may grant an additional 6-month extension if the Commission finds that good cause exists for such an additional extension.”