FCC on Broadband Customer Support Quality

Getting stuck in a phone loop of pressing the right number to talk to a real customer service representative can test anyone’s patience, especially when you just need to report an internet outage or have your broadband account installed or canceled. A federal agency recently announced it plans to look into how the telecommunications industry is handling the issue.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is reviewing the quality of customer support from cable, broadband, satellite TV and phone providers.

“We can and should expect consistent, transparent, and helpful customer service from the communications companies that provide so many services that are so vital in our day-to-day lives,” said FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel. “No one should get stuck in a doom loop trying to cancel a subscription or just get a human being to help resolve their service problems.”

The FCC hopes to build a public record of customer experiences surrounding:

Simple cancellation – Providing more cancellation options and better disclosure of cancellation practices at the point of sale and on bills
Automatic renewal of service – Ensuring providers obtain explicit customer consent for broadband and voice service providers before automatically renewing a service and/or increasing prices after a trial or promotional period expires
Access to live representatives – Helping to avoid bouncing consumers from one call menu list to another in a time-consuming effort to obtain resolution
Installation, outage and service calls – Extending cable operator installation, outage and service call rules to also apply to satellite TV, voice and broadband services
Individuals with disabilities – Improving the accessibility of customer service resources for individuals with disabilities
Expanded cable customer resources – Updating current cable operator customer service requirements to reflect marketplace and technology changes

Written by:

Robin Layton

Editor, Broadband Content

Robin Layton is an editor for the broadband marketplace Allconnect. She built her internet industry expertise writing and editing for four years on the site, as well as on Allconnect’s sister site MYMOVE.com. … Read more

Edited by:

Anine Sus

Editor I

Read bio