FCC finalized regulatory fee schedule for 2001 in order issued Mo...

fees doesn’t reflect increase in regulatory costs but rather reflects drop in number of MDS licenses. Company said agency’s practice of spreading increases proportionately across communications services resulted in discriminatory treatment of MDS providers. On another issue, agency said complaint by CTIA and Verizon Wireless about commercial wireless fees was “misplaced.” CTIA said per-subscriber fees should have declined far more than they have because there are more subscribers now. CTIA and Verizon said number of subscribers has increased 62% since 1999 fiscal year but 2001 fee is only 3% less than FY 2000 and 6% less than 1999. However, FCC said its current approach is aimed at eliminating concerns expressed by CTIA. Agency did agree to revise its estimate of wireless subscribers based on new FCC data but said it wasn’t willing to accept CTIA’s claim that FCC had to use industry’s data “to avoid overpayment by CMRS [commercial mobile radio service] operators.” FCC also turned down request for revision by Paxson Communications although agency said company raised “significant questions.” Paxson said fee for UHF construction permits has increased 43% over FY 2000 and now is $1,000 higher than one for VHF, even though Congress originally set lower fees for UHF. Paxson had argued that increase in UHF fees is inconsistent with lower fees paid by some faster-growing services that presumably impose more regulatory cost. FCC said it will re-examine UHF TV fees next year when new cost accounting system has been developed. FCC also turned down Comsat’s request that regulatory fees not be placed on satellites owned by Intelsat.