[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 6, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 16661-16687]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-8342]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 1
[MD Docket No. 98-200; FCC 99-44]


Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 1999

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: The Commission is proposing to revise its Schedule of 
Regulatory Fees in order to recover the amount of regulatory fees that 
Congress has required it to collect for fiscal year 1999. Section 9 of 
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, provides for the annual 
assessment and collection of regulatory fees. For fiscal year 1999 
sections 9(b)(2) and (3) provide for annual ``Mandatory Adjustments'' 
and ``Permitted Amendments'' to the Schedule of Regulatory Fees. These 
revisions will further the National Performance Review goals of 
reinventing Government by requiring beneficiaries of Commission 
services to pay for such services.

DATES: Comments are due on or before April 19, 1999, and reply comments 
are due on or before April 29, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Johnson, Office of Managing 
Director at (202) 418-0445.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

Topic

I. Introduction
II. Background
III. Discussion
    A. Summary of FY 1999 Fee Methodology
    B. Development of FY 1999 Fees
    i. Adjustment of Payment Units
    ii. Calculation of Revenue Requirements
    iii. Recalculation of Fees
    iv. Proposed Changes to Fee Schedule
    a. FY 1999 Fee Schedule To Be Based on Mandatory Adjustments
    b. Reduction of the FM Construction Permit Fee
    v. Effect of Revenue Redistributions on Major Constituencies
    C. Notice of Inquiry Issues
    D. Procedures for Payment of Regulatory Fees
    i. Annual Payments of Standard Fees
    ii. Installment Payments for Large Fees
    iii. Advance Payments of Small Fees
    iv. Minimum Fee Payment Liability
    v. Standard Fee Calculations and Payments
    E. Schedule of FY 1999 Regulatory Fees
IV. Procedural Matters
    A. Comment Period and Procedures
    B. Ex Parte Rules
    C. Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
    D. Authority and Further Information
Attachment A--Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
Attachment B--Sources of Payment Unit Estimates For FY 1999
Attachment C--Calculation of Revenue Requirements and Pro-Rata Fees
Attachment D--FY 1999 Schedule of Regulatory Fees
Attachment E--Comparison Between FY 1998 and FY 1999 Proposed 
Regulatory Fees
Attachment F--Detailed Guidance on Who Must Pay Regulatory Fees
Attachment G--Description of FCC Activities
Attachment H--Factors, measurements and calculations that go into 
determining station signal contours and associated population 
coverages

I. Introduction

    1. By this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission commences 
a proceeding to revise its Schedule of Regulatory Fees in order to 
collect the amount of regulatory fees that Congress, pursuant to 
section 9(a) of the Communications Act, as amended, has required it to 
collect for Fiscal Year (FY) 1999.1
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    \1\ 47 U.S.C. 159 (a).
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    2. Congress has required that we collect $172,523,000 through 
regulatory fees in order to recover the costs of our enforcement, 
policy and rulemaking, international and user information activities 
for FY 1999.2 This amount is $10,000,000 or approximately 6% 
more than the amount that Congress designated for recovery through 
regulatory fees for FY 1998.3 Thus, we are proposing to 
revise our fees in order to collect the increased amount that Congress 
has required that we collect. Additionally, we propose to amend the 
Schedule in order to simplify and streamline it.4
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    \2\ Public Law 105-277 and 47 U.S.C. 159(a)(2).
    \3\ Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 
1998, FCC 98-115, released June 16, 1998, 63 FR 35847 (Jul. 1, 
1998).
    \4\ 47 U.S.C. 159(b)(3).
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    3. In proposing to revise our fees, we adjusted the payment units 
and revenue requirement for each service subject to a fee, consistent 
with sections 159(b)(2) and (3). In addition, we are proposing changes 
to the fees pursuant to public interest considerations. The current 
Schedule of Regulatory Fees is set forth in sections 1.1152 through 
1.1156 of the Commission's rules.5
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    \5\ 47 CFR 1.1152 through 1.1156.

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[[Page 16662]]

II. Background

    4. Section 9(a) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
authorizes the Commission to assess and collect annual regulatory fees 
to recover the costs, as determined annually by Congress, that it 
incurs in carrying out enforcement, policy and rulemaking, 
international, and user information activities.6 See 
Attachment G for a description of these activities. In our FY 1994 Fee 
Order,7 we adopted the Schedule of Regulatory Fees that 
Congress established, and we prescribed rules to govern payment of the 
fees, as required by Congress.8 Subsequently, we modified 
the fee Schedule to increase the fees in accordance with the amounts 
Congress required us to collect in each succeeding fiscal year. We also 
amended the rules governing our regulatory fee program based upon our 
experience administering the program in prior years.9
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    \6\ 47 U.S.C. 159(a).
    \7\ 59 FR 30984 (Jun. 16, 1994).
    \8\ 47 U.S.C. 159(b), (f)(1).
    \9\ 47 CFR 1.1151 et seq.
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    5. As noted, for FY 1994 we adopted the Schedule of Regulatory Fees 
established in section 9(g) of the Act. For fiscal years after FY 1994, 
however, sections 9(b)(2) and (3), respectively, provide for 
``Mandatory Adjustments'' and ``Permitted Amendments'' to the Schedule 
of Regulatory Fees.10 Section 9(b)(2), entitled ``Mandatory 
Adjustments,'' requires that we revise the Schedule of Regulatory Fees 
whenever Congress changes the amount that we are to recover through 
regulatory fees.11
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    \10\ 47 U.S.C. 159(b)(2), (b)(3).
    \11\ 47 U.S.C. 159(b)(2).
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    6. Section 9(b)(3), entitled ``Permitted Amendments,'' requires 
that we determine annually whether additional adjustments to the fees 
are warranted, taking into account factors that are reasonably related 
to the payer of the fee and factors that are in the public interest. In 
making these amendments, we are to ``add, delete, or reclassify 
services in the Schedule to reflect additions, deletions or changes in 
the nature of its services.'' 12
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    \12\ 47 U.S.C. 159(b)(3).
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    7. Section 9(i) requires that we develop accounting systems 
necessary to adjust our fees pursuant to changes in the costs of 
regulation of various services that are subject to a fee, and for other 
purposes.13 For FY 1997, we relied for the first time on 
cost accounting data to identify our regulatory costs and to develop 
our FY 1997 fees based upon these costs. Also, for FY 1997, we limited 
the increase in the amount of the fee for any service in order to phase 
in our reliance on cost-based fees for those services whose revenue 
requirement would be more than 25 percent above the revenue requirement 
which would have resulted from the ``mandatory adjustments'' to the FY 
1997 fees without incorporation of costs. This methodology, which we 
continued to utilize for FY 1998, enabled us to develop regulatory fees 
which we believed to be more reflective of our costs of regulation, and 
allowed us to make revisions to our fees based on the fullest extent 
possible, and consistent with the public interest, on the actual costs 
of regulating those services subject to a fee. Finally, section 
9(b)(4)(B) requires that we notify Congress of any permitted amendments 
90 days before those amendments go into effect.14
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    \13\ 47 U.S.C. 159(i).
    \14\ 47 U.S.C. 159(b)(4)(B).
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III. Discussion

A. Summary of FY 1999 Fee Methodology

    8. As noted, Congress has required that the Commission recover 
$172,523,000 for FY 1999 through the collection of regulatory fees, 
representing the costs applicable to our enforcement, policy and 
rulemaking, international, and user information 
activities.15
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    \15\ 47 U.S.C. 159(a).
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    9. In developing our proposed FY 1999 fee schedule, we first 
determined that we would continue to use the same general methodology 
for ``Mandatory Adjustments'' to the Fee Schedule as we used in 
developing fees for FY 1998. We estimated the number of payment units 
16 for FY 1999 in order to determine the aggregate amount of 
revenue we would collect without any revision to our FY 1998 fees. 
Next, we compared this revenue amount to the $172,523,000 that Congress 
has required us to collect in FY 1999 and pro-rated the difference 
among all the existing fee categories.
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    \16\ Payment units are the number of subscribers, mobile units, 
pagers, cellular telephones, licenses, call signs, adjusted gross 
revenue dollars, etc. which represent the base volumes against which 
fee amounts are calculated.
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    10. Once we established our tentative FY 1999 fees, we evaluated 
proposals made by Commission staff concerning ``Permitted Amendments'' 
to the Fee Schedule and to our collection procedures. These proposals 
are discussed in paragraphs 15-19 and are factored into our proposed FY 
1999 Schedule of Regulatory Fees, set forth in Attachment D.
    11. Finally, we have incorporated, as Attachment F, proposed 
Guidance containing detailed descriptions of each fee category, 
information on the individual or entity responsible for paying a 
particular fee and other critical information designed to assist 
potential fee payers in determining the extent of their fee liability, 
if any, for FY 1999.17 In the following paragraphs, we 
describe in greater detail our proposed methodology for establishing 
our FY 1999 regulatory fees.
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    \17\ We also will incorporate a similar Attachment in the Report 
and Order concluding this rulemaking. That Attachment will contain 
updated information concerning any changes made to the proposed fees 
adopted by the Report and Order.
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B. Development of FY 1999 Fees

i. Adjustment of Payment Units
    12. In calculating individual service regulatory fees for FY 1999, 
we adjusted the estimated payment units for each service because 
payment units for many services have changed substantially since we 
adopted our FY 1998 fees. We obtained our estimated payment units 
through a variety of means, including our licensee data bases, actual 
prior year payment records, and industry and trade group projections. 
Whenever possible, we verified these estimates from multiple sources to 
ensure the accuracy of these estimates. Attachment B provides a summary 
of how revised payment units were determined for each fee 
category.18
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    \18\ It is important to also note that Congress' required 
revenue increase in regulatory fee payments of approximately six 
percent in FY 1999 will not fall equally on all payers because 
payment units have changed in several services. When the number of 
payment units in a service increase from one year to another, fees 
do not have to rise as much as they would if payment units had 
decreased or remained stable. Declining payment units have the 
opposite effect on fees.
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ii. Calculation of Revenue requirements
    13. We next multiplied the revised payment units for each service 
by the FY 1998 fees in each category to determine how much revenue we 
would collect without any change to the FY 1998 Schedule of Regulatory 
Fees. The amount of revenue which we would collect without changes to 
the Fee Schedule is approximately $157.6 million. This amount is 
approximately $14.9 million less than the amount the Commission is 
required to collect in FY 1999. We then adjusted the revenue 
requirements for each category on a proportional basis, consistent with 
Section 9(b)(2) of the Act, to obtain an estimate of the revenue 
requirements for each fee category so that the Commission could collect 
$172,523,000 as required by Congress. Attachment C

[[Page 16663]]

provides detailed calculations showing how we determined the revised 
revenue amounts to be raised for each service.
iii. Recalculation of Fees
    14. Once we determined the amount of fee revenue that it is 
necessary to collect from each class of licensee, we divided the 
revenue requirement by the number of payment units (and by the license 
term, if applicable, for ``small'' fees) to obtain actual fee amounts 
for each fee category. These calculated fee amounts were then rounded 
in accordance with section 9(b)(3) of the Act. See Attachment C.
iv. Proposed Changes to Fee Schedule
    15. We examined the results of our calculations to determine if 
further adjustments of the fees and/or changes to payment procedures 
were warranted based upon the public interest and other criteria 
established in 47 U.S.C. 159(b)(3). 19 As a result of this 
review, we are proposing the following ``Permitted Amendments'' to our 
Fee Schedule:
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    \19\ In FY 1997 and FY 1998 we limited increases to 25%. For FY 
1999, none of the proposed fee increases exceed 25%.
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a. FY 1999 Fee Schedule To Be Based on Mandatory Adjustments
    16. We are proposing that the FY 1999 fee schedule be based on the 
mandatory adjustments as computed in Attachment C and in accordance 
with section 9(b)(2) of the Act.
b. Reduction of the FM Construction Permit Fee
    17. In the original Congressional fee schedule, the FM Construction 
Permit fee was set at $500 (Five times the AM Construction Permit Fee 
of $100). In succeeding year's schedules, nearly the same relationship 
has prevailed as evidenced by the calculated FM Construction Permit fee 
for FY 1999 of $1,250 (compared to the calculated AM Construction 
Permit fee for FY 1999 of $255).
    18. Several parties have informally expressed concern that the FM 
Construction Permit fee is out of proportion in relation to the fees 
imposed on licensed FM stations particularly in less populated areas. 
At the same time, it should be noted that the regulatory costs borne by 
the Commission applicable to FM Construction Permits is significantly 
higher than its costs for AM Construction Permits.
    19. We seek comment on a staff proposal to make a permitted 
amendment to the schedule of regulatory fees for FY 1999 reducing the 
FM Construction Permit fee to $765 (three times the AM Construction 
Permit fee). This reduction would result in a loss of $145,500 in 
estimated regulatory fee collections.
v. Effect of Revenue Redistributions on Major Constituencies
    20. The following chart illustrates the relative percentage of the 
overall revenue requirements borne by the major constituencies since 
the inception of regulatory fees in FY 1994.

                                                     Percentage of Revenue Collected by Constituency
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                                                              FY 1994         FY 1995         FY 1996         FY 1997         FY 1998         FY 1999
                                                             (actual)        (actual)        (actual)        (actual)        (actual)       (proposed)
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Cable TV Operators (Inc. CARS Licenses).................            41.4            24.0            33.4            21.8            17.9            17.9
Broadcast Licensees.....................................            23.8            13.8            14.6            14.1            15.6            15.4
Satellite Operators (Inc. Earth Stations)...............             3.3             3.6             4.0             5.0             5.3             5.6
Common Carriers.........................................            25.0            44.5            40.9            49.8            47.5            47.1
Wireless Licensees......................................             6.5            14.1             7.1             9.3            13.7            14.0
                                                         -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total...............................................           100.0           100.0           100.0           100.0           100.0           100.0
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C. Notice of Inquiry Issues

    21. On November 10, 1998, the Commission adopted a Notice of 
Inquiry in this proceeding seeking comments on five specific 
issues.20 Briefly, the issues for which comments were sought 
included: (1) Clarification of the Commercial Mobile Radio Services 
(``CMRS'') fee categories and demarcation of which types of services or 
usage to include in each category; 21 (2) determination of 
the appropriate basis for assessing regulatory fees on geostationary 
orbit space stations (``GSOs''); (3) determination of the appropriate 
method of assessing our regulatory costs associated with non-
geostationary orbit space station systems (``NGSOs'') to licensees 
which have launched satellites or to all NGSO licensees; (4) whether we 
should base revenues for interstate telephone service providers on the 
Universal Services Fund's end user methodology rather than the 
Telecommunication Relay Services Fund adjusted gross revenue 
methodology; and (5) whether we should create a ``new services'' 
category in our cost accounting system in which costs associated with 
development of new services, regardless of the service, would be 
proportionately assessed to all feeable categories rather than assessed 
to existing licensees in the same service category.
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    \20\ 63 FR 70090 (Dec. 18, 1998).
    \21\ In this regard we specifically request additional comments 
on a proposal raised by BellSouth Wireless in its Petitions for 
Reconsideration of the FY 1997 and FY 1998 Rulemakings, that the 
Commission reclassify 900 MHz SMR Service into the CMRS Message 
Service.
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    22. In the interest of expediting this NPRM, we are deferring 
analysis of the comments and replies received pursuant to the NOI for 
inclusion in the final Report and Order in this proceeding. Commenters 
do not need to resubmit these same arguments in response to this NPRM. 
Further, the basis for assessing revenues for interstate telephone 
service providers is best delayed until the conclusion of CC Docket No. 
98-171, In the Matter of 1998 biennial Regulatory Review--Streamlined 
Contributor Reporting Requirements Associated with Administration of 
Telecommunications Relay Services, North American Numbering Plan, Local 
Number Portability, and Universal Service support 
Mechanisms.22
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    \22\ FCC 98-233, released September 25, 1998, 63 FR 54090 (Oct. 
8, 1998).
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D. Procedures for Payment of Regulatory Fees

    23. Generally, we propose to retain the procedures that we have 
established for the payment of regulatory fees. Section 9(f) requires 
that we permit ``payment by installments in the case of fees in large 
amounts, and in the case of small amounts, shall require the payment of 
the fee in advance for a

[[Page 16664]]

number of years not to exceed the term of the license held by the 
payer.'' See 47 U.S.C. 159(f)(1). Consistent with section 9(f), we are 
again proposing to establish three categories of fee payments, based 
upon the category of service for which the fee payment is due and the 
amount of the fee to be paid. The fee categories are (1) ``standard'' 
fees, (2) ``large'' fees, and (3) ``small'' fees.
i. Annual Payments of Standard Fees
    24. As we have in the past, we are proposing to treat regulatory 
fee payments by certain licensees as ``standard fees'' which are those 
regulatory fees that are payable in full on an annual basis. Payers of 
standard fees are not required to make advance payments for their full 
license term and are not eligible for installment payments. All 
standard fees are payable in full on the date we establish for payment 
of fees in their regulatory fee category. The payment dates for each 
regulatory fee category will be announced either in the Report and 
Order terminating this proceeding or by public notice in the Federal 
Register pursuant to authority delegated to the Managing Director.
ii. Installment Payments for Large Fees
    25. While we are mindful that time constraints may preclude an 
opportunity for installment payments, we propose that regulatees in any 
category of service with a liability of $12,000 or more be eligible to 
make installment payments and that eligibility for installment payments 
be based upon the amount of either a single regulatory fee payment or 
combination of fee payments by the same licensee or regulatee. We 
propose that regulatees eligible to make installment payments may 
submit their required fees in two equal payments (on dates to be 
announced) or, in the alternative, in a single payment on the date that 
their final installment payment is due. Due to statutory constraints 
concerning notification to Congress prior to actual collection of the 
fees, however, it is unlikely that there will be sufficient time for 
installment payments, and that regulatees eligible to make installment 
payments will be required to pay these fees on the last date that fee 
payments may be submitted. The dates for installment payments, or a 
single payment, will be announced either in the Report and Order 
terminating this proceeding or by public notice published in the 
Federal Register pursuant to authority delegated to the Managing 
Director.
iii. Advance Payments of Small Fees
    26. As we have in the past, we are proposing to treat regulatory 
fee payments by certain licensees as ``small'' fees subject to advance 
payment consistent with the requirements of section 9(f)(2). We propose 
that advance payments will be required from licensees of those services 
that we decided would be subject to advance payments in our FY 1994 
Report and Order, and to those additional payers set forth 
herein.23 We are also proposing that payers of advance fees 
will submit the entire fee due for the full term of their licenses when 
filing their initial, renewal, or reinstatement application. Regulatees 
subject to a payment of small fees shall pay the amount due for the 
current fiscal year multiplied by the number of years in the term of 
their requested license. In the event that the required fee is adjusted 
following their payment of the fee, the payer would not be subject to 
the payment of a new fee until filing an application for renewal or 
reinstatement of the license. Thus, payment for the full license term 
would be made based upon the regulatory fee applicable at the time the 
application is filed. The effective date for payment of small fees 
established in this proceeding will be announced in our Report and 
Order terminating this proceeding or by public notice published in the 
Federal Register pursuant to authority delegated to the Managing 
Director.
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    \23\ Applicants for new, renewal and reinstatement licenses in 
the following services will be required to pay their regulatory fees 
in advance: Land Mobile Services, Microwave Services, Marine (Ship) 
Service, Marine (Coast) Service, Private Land Mobile (Other) 
Services, Aviation (Aircraft) Service, Aviation (Ground) Service, 
General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS).
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iv. Minimum Fee Payment Liability
    27. As we have in the past, we are proposing that regulatees whose 
total regulatory fee liability, including all categories of fees for 
which payment is due by an entity, amounts to less than $10 will be 
exempted from fee payment in FY 1999.
v. Standard Fee Calculations and Payment Dates
    28. As noted, the time for payment of standard fees and any 
installment payments will be announced in our Report and Order 
terminating this proceeding or will be published in the Federal 
Register pursuant to authority delegated to the Managing Director. For 
licensees, permittees and holders of other authorizations in the Common 
Carrier, Mass Media, and Cable Services whose fees are not based on a 
subscriber, unit, or circuit count, we are proposing that fees be paid 
for any authorization issued on or before October 1, 1998.24
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    \24\ Where a license or authorization is transferred or assigned 
after October 1, 1998, the fee shall be paid by the licensee or 
holder of the authorization on the date that the payment is due.
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    29. In the case of regulatees whose fees are based upon a 
subscriber, unit or circuit count, the number of a regulatees' 
subscribers, units or circuits on December 31, 1998, will be used to 
calculate the fee payment.25
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    \25\ Cable system operators are to compute their subscribers as 
follows: Number of single family dwellings + number of individual 
households in multiple dwelling unit (apartments, condominiums, 
mobile home parks, etc.) paying at the basic subscriber rate + bulk 
rate customers + courtesy and free service. Note: Bulk-Rate 
Customers = Total annual bulk-rate charge divided by basic annual 
subscription rate for individual households. Cable system operators 
may base their count on ``a typical day in the last full week'' of 
December 1998, rather than on a count as of December 31, 1998.
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E. Schedule of Regulatory Fees

    30. The Commission's proposed Schedule of Regulatory Fees for FY 
1999 is contained in Attachment D of this NPRM.

IV. Procedural Matters

A. Comment Period and Procedures

    31. Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 
47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments on or before 
April 19, 1999, and reply comments on or before April 29, 1999. 
Comments may be filed using the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing 
System (ECFS) or by filing paper copies.26
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    \26\ Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 
63 FR 24121 (1998).
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    32. Comments filed through the ECFS can be sent as an electronic 
file via the Internet to <http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html>. 
Generally, only one copy of an electronic submission must be filed. 
However, if multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption 
of this proceeding, commenters must transmit one electronic copy of the 
comments to each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. 
In completing the transmittal screen, commenters should include their 
full name, Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or 
rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by e-
mail via Internet. To get filing instructions for e-mail comments, 
commenters should send an e-mail to [email protected], and should include 
the following words in the body of the message, ``get form 27
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    \27\ 47 CFR 1.1202, 1.1203 and 1026(a).
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C. Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    37. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act,28 the 
Commission has prepared an Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 
(IRFA) of the possible impact on small entities of the proposals 
suggested in this document. The IRFA is set forth as Attachment A. 
Written public comments are requested with respect to the IRFA. These 
comments must be filed in accordance with the same filing deadlines for 
comments on the rest of the NPRM, but they must have a separate and 
distinct heading, designating the comments as responses to the IRFA. 
The Office of Public Affairs, Reference Operations Division, shall send 
a copy of this NPRM, including the IRFA, to the Chief Counsel for 
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration, in accordance with the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act.
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    \28\ 5 U.S.C. 603.
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D. Authority and Further Information

    38. Authority for this proceeding is contained in sections 4(i) and 
(j), 9, and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended.29 It is ordered that this NPRM is adopted. It is 
further ordered that the Commission's Office of Public Affairs, 
Reference Operations Division, shall send a copy of this NPRM, 
including the Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, to the Chief 
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration.
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    \29\ 47 U.S.C. 154(i)-(j), 159, & 303(r).
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    39. Further information about this proceeding may be obtained by 
contacting the Fees Hotline at (202) 418-0192.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.

Attachment A--Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

    1. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act 
(RFA),30 the Commission has prepared this Initial Regulatory 
Flexibility Analysis (IRFA) of the possible significant economic impact 
on small entities by the policies and rules proposed in the present 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, In the Matter of Assessment and 
Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 1999. Written public 
comments are requested on this IRFA. Comments must be identified as 
responses to the IRFA and must be filed by the deadlines for comments 
on the IRFA provided above in paragraph 31. The Commission will send a 
copy of the NPRM, including this IRFA, to the Chief Counsel for 
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration.31 In 
addition, the NPRM and IRFA (or summaries thereof) will be published in 
the Federal Register.32
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    \30\ 5 U.S.C. 603. The RFA, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., has been 
amended by the Contract With America Advancement Act of 1996, Public 
Law No. 104-121, 110 Stat. 847 (1996) (CWAAA). Title II of the CWAAA 
is the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 
(SBREFA).
    \31\ 5 U.S.C. 603(a).
    \32\ Id.
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I. Need for, and Objectives of, the Proposed Rules

    2. This rulemaking proceeding is initiated to obtain comments 
concerning the Commission's proposed amendment of its Schedule of 
Regulatory Fees. For Fiscal Year 1999, we intend to collect regulatory 
fees in the amount of $172,523,000, the amount that Congress has 
required the Commission to recover. The Commission seeks to collect the 
necessary amount through its proposed revised fees, as contained in the 
attached Schedule of Regulatory Fees, in the most efficient manner 
possible and without undue burden to the public.

II. Legal Basis

    3. This action, including publication of proposed rules, is 
authorized under Sections (4)(i) and (j), 9, and 303(r) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.33
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    \33\ 47 U.S.C. 154(i) and (j), 159, and 303(r).
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III. Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to 
Which the Proposed Rules Will Apply

    4. The RFA directs agencies to provide a description of and, where 
feasible, an estimate of the number of small entities that may be 
affected by the proposed rules, if adopted.34 The RFA 
generally defines the term ``small entity'' as having the same meaning 
as the terms ``small business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small 
governmental jurisdiction.'' 35 In addition, the term 
``small business'' has the same meaning as the term ``small business 
concern'' under the Small Business Act.36 A small business 
concern is one which: (1) is independently owned and operated; (2) is 
not dominant in its field of operation; and (3) satisfies any 
additional criteria established by the Small Business Administration 
(SBA).37 A small organization is generally ``any not-for-
profit enterprise which is independently owned and operated and is not 
dominant in its field.'' 38 Nationwide, as of 1992, there 
were approximately

[[Page 16666]]

275,801 small organizations.39 ``Small governmental 
jurisdiction'' generally means ``governments of cities, counties, 
towns, townships, villages, school districts, or special districts, 
with a population of less than 50,000.'' 40 As of 1992, 
there were approximately 85,006 such jurisdictions in the United 
States.41 This number includes 38,978 counties, cities, and 
towns; of these, 37,566, or 96 percent, have populations of fewer than 
50,000.42 The Census Bureau estimates that this ratio is 
approximately accurate for all governmental entities. Thus, of the 
85,006 governmental entities, we estimate that 81,600 (91 percent) are 
small entities. We further describe and estimate the number of small 
entity licensees and regulatees that may be affected by the proposed 
rules, if adopted.
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    \34\ 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(3).
    \35\ Id. 601(6).
    \36\ 5 U.S.C. 601(3) (incorporating by reference the definition 
of ``small business concern'' in 15 U.S.C. 632). Pursuant to the 
RFA, the statutory definition of a small business applies ``unless 
an agency, after consultation with the Office of Advocacy of the 
Small Business Administration and after opportunity for public 
comment, establishes one or more definitions of such term which are 
appropriate to the activities of the agency and publishes such 
definition(s) in the Federal Register.'' 5 U.S.C. 601(3).
    \37\ Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632 (1996).
    \38\ 5 U.S.C. 601(4).
    \39\ 1992 Economic Census, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Table 6 
(special tabulation of data under contract to Office of Advocacy of 
the U.S. Small Business Administration).
    \40\  5 U.S.C. 601(5).
    \41\ U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, ``1992 Census 
of Governments.''
    \42\ Id.
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Cable Services or Systems

    5. The SBA has developed a definition of small entities for cable 
and other pay television services, which includes all such companies 
generating $11 million or less in revenue annually.43 This 
definition includes cable systems operators, closed circuit television 
services, direct broadcast satellite services, multipoint distribution 
systems, satellite master antenna systems and subscription television 
services. According to the Census Bureau data from 1992, there were 
1,788 total cable and other pay television services and 1,423 had less 
than $11 million in revenue.44
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    \43\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4841.
    \44\ 1992 Economic Census Industry and Enterprise Receipts Size 
Report, Table 2D, SIC code 4841 (U.S. Bureau of the Census data 
under contract to the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business 
Administration).
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    6. The Commission has developed its own definition of a small cable 
system operator for the purposes of rate regulation. Under the 
Commission's rules, a ``small cable company'' is one serving fewer than 
400,000 subscribers nationwide.45 Based on our most recent 
information, we estimate that there were 1,439 cable operators that 
qualified as small cable system operators at the end of 
1995.46 Since then, some of those companies may have grown 
to serve over 400,000 subscribers, and others may have been involved in 
transactions that caused them to be combined with other cable 
operators. Consequently, we estimate that there are fewer than 1,439 
small entity cable system operators.
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    \45\ 47 CFR 76.901(e). The Commission developed this definition 
based on its determination that a small cable system operator is one 
with annual revenues of $100 million or less. Implementation of 
Sections of the 1992 Cable Act: Rate Regulation, Sixth Report and 
Order and Eleventh Order on Reconsideration, 10 FCC Rcd 7393 (1995), 
60 FR 10534 (Feb. 27, 1995).
    \46\ Paul Kagan Associates, Inc., Cable TV Investor, Feb. 29, 
1996 (based on figures for Dec. 30, 1995).
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    7. The Communications Act also contains a definition of a small 
cable system operator, which is ``a cable operator that, directly or 
through an affiliate, serves in the aggregate fewer than 1 percent of 
all subscribers in the United States and is not affiliated with any 
entity or entities whose gross annual revenues in the aggregate exceed 
$250,000,000.'' 47 The Commission has determined that there 
are 66,000,000 subscribers in the United States. Therefore, we found 
that an operator serving fewer than 660,000 subscribers shall be deemed 
a small operator, if its annual revenues, when combined with the total 
annual revenues of all of its affiliates, do not exceed $250 million in 
the aggregate.48 Based on available data, we find that the 
number of cable operators serving 660,000 subscribers or less totals 
1,450.49 We do not request nor do we collect information 
concerning whether cable system operators are affiliated with entities 
whose gross annual revenues exceed $250,000,000,50 and thus 
are unable at this time to estimate with greater precision the number 
of cable system operators that would qualify as small cable operators 
under the definition in the Communications Act. It should be further 
noted that recent industry estimates project that there will be a total 
64,000,000 subscribers, and we have based our fee revenue estimates on 
that figure.
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    \47\ 47 U.S.C. 543(m)(2).
    \48\ Id. 76.1403(b).
    \49\ Paul Kagan Associates, Inc., Cable TV Investor, Feb. 29, 
1996 (based on figures for Dec. 30, 1995).
    \50\ We do receive such information on a case-by-case basis only 
if a cable operator appeals a local franchise authority's finding 
that the operator does not qualify as a small cable operator 
pursuant to section 76.1403(b) of the Commission's rules. See 47 CFR 
76.1403(d).
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    8. Other Pay Services. Other pay television services are also 
classified under Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 4841, which 
includes cable systems operators, closed circuit television services, 
direct broadcast satellite services (DBS),51 multipoint 
distribution systems (MDS),52 satellite master antenna 
systems (SMATV), and subscription television services.
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    \51\ Direct Broadcast Services (DBS) are discussed with the 
international services, infra.
    \52\ Multipoint Distribution Services (MDS) are discussed with 
the mass media services, infra.
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Common Carrier Services and Related Entities

    9. The most reliable source of information regarding the total 
numbers of certain common carrier and related providers nationwide, as 
well as the numbers of commercial wireless entities, appears to be data 
the Commission publishes annually in its Telecommunications Industry 
Revenue report, regarding the Telecommunications Relay Service 
(TRS).53 According to data in the most recent report, there 
are 3,459 interstate carriers.54 These carriers include, 
inter alia, local exchange carriers, wireline carriers and service 
providers, interexchange carriers, competitive access providers, 
operator service providers, pay telephone operators, providers of 
telephone toll service, providers of telephone exchange service, and 
resellers.
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    \53\ FCC, Telecommunications Industry Revenue: TRS Fund 
Worksheet Data, Figure 2 (Number of Carriers Paying Into the TRS 
Fund by Type of Carrier) (Nov. 1997) (Telecommunications Industry 
Revenue).
    \54\ Id.
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    10. The SBA has defined establishments engaged in providing 
``Radiotelephone Communications'' and ``Telephone Communications, 
Except Radiotelephone'' to be small businesses when they have no more 
than 1,500 employees.55 We discuss the total estimated 
number of telephone companies falling within the two categories and the 
number of small businesses in each, and we then attempt to refine 
further those estimates to correspond with the categories of telephone 
companies that are commonly used under our rules.
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    \55\ 13 CFR 121.201, Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 
codes 4812 and 4813. See also Executive Office of the President, 
Office of Management and Budget, Standard Industrial Classification 
Manual (1987).
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    11. Although some affected incumbent local exchange carriers 
(ILECs) may have 1,500 or fewer employees, we do not believe that such 
entities should be considered small entities within the meaning of the 
RFA because they are either dominant in their field of operations or 
are not independently owned and operated, and therefore by definition 
not ``small entities'' or ``small business concerns'' under the RFA. 
Accordingly, our use of the terms ``small entities'' and ``small 
businesses'' does not encompass small ILECs. Out of an abundance of 
caution, however, for regulatory flexibility analysis purposes, we will 
separately consider small ILECs within this

[[Page 16667]]

analysis and use the term ``small ILECs'' to refer to any ILECs that 
arguably might be defined by the SBA as ``small business concerns.'' 
56
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    \56\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4813. Since the time of the 
Commission's 1996 decision, Implementation of the Local Competition 
Provisions in the Telecommunications Act of 1996, First Report and 
Order, 11 FCC Rcd 15499, 16144-45 (1996), 61 FR 45476 (Aug. 29, 
1996), the Commission has consistently addressed in its regulatory 
flexibility analyses the impact of its rules on such ILECs.
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    12. Total Number of Telephone Companies Affected. The U.S. Bureau 
of the Census (``Census Bureau'') reports that, at the end of 1992, 
there were 3,497 firms engaged in providing telephone services, as 
defined therein, for at least one year.57 This number 
contains a variety of different categories of carriers, including local 
exchange carriers, interexchange carriers, competitive access 
providers, cellular carriers, mobile service carriers, operator service 
providers, pay telephone operators, personal communications services 
providers, covered specialized mobile radio providers, and resellers. 
It seems certain that some of those 3,497 telephone service firms may 
not qualify as small entities or small ILECs because they are not 
``independently owned and operated.'' 58 For example, a PCS 
provider that is affiliated with an interexchange carrier having more 
than 1,500 employees would not meet the definition of a small business. 
It is reasonable to conclude that fewer than 3,497 telephone service 
firms are small entity telephone service firms or small ILECs that may 
be affected by the proposed rules, if adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \57\ U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1992 
Census of Transportation, Communications, and Utilities: 
Establishment and Firm Size, at Firm Size 1-123 (1995) (1992 
Census).
    \58\ See generally 15 U.S.C. 632(a)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    13. Wireline Carriers and Service Providers. The SBA has developed 
a definition of small entities for telephone communications companies 
except radiotelephone (wireless) companies. The Census Bureau reports 
that there were 2,321 such telephone companies in operation for at 
least one year at the end of 1992.59 According to the SBA's 
definition, a small business telephone company other than a 
radiotelephone company is one employing no more than 1,500 
persons.60 All but 26 of the 2,321 non-radiotelephone 
companies listed by the Census Bureau were reported to have fewer than 
1,000 employees. Thus, even if all 26 of those companies had more than 
1,500 employees, there would still be 2,295 non-radiotelephone 
companies that might qualify as small entities or small ILECs. We do 
not have data specifying the number of these carriers that are not 
independently owned and operated, and thus are unable at this time to 
estimate with greater precision the number of wireline carriers and 
service providers that would qualify as small business concerns under 
the SBA's definition. Consequently, we estimate that fewer than 2,295 
small telephone communications companies other than radiotelephone 
companies are small entities or small ILECs that may be affected by the 
proposed rules, if adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \59\ 1992 Census, supra, at Firm Size 1-123.
    \60\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4813.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    14. Local Exchange Carriers. Neither the Commission nor the SBA has 
developed a definition for small providers of local exchange services 
(LECs). The closest applicable definition under the SBA rules is for 
telephone communications companies other than radiotelephone (wireless) 
companies.61 According to the most recent Telecommunications 
Industry Revenue data, 1,371 carriers reported that they were engaged 
in the provision of local exchange services.62 We do not 
have data specifying the number of these carriers that are either 
dominant in their field of operations, are not independently owned and 
operated, or have more than 1,500 employees, and thus are unable at 
this time to estimate with greater precision the number of LECs that 
would qualify as small business concerns under the SBA's definition. 
Consequently, we estimate that fewer than 1,371 providers of local 
exchange service are small entities or small ILECs that may be affected 
by the proposed rules, if adopted.
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    \61\ Id.
    \62\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
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    15. Interexchange Carriers. Neither the Commission nor the SBA has 
developed a definition of small entities specifically applicable to 
providers of interexchange services (IXCs). The closest applicable 
definition under the SBA rules is for telephone communications 
companies other than radiotelephone (wireless) companies.63 
According to the most recent Telecommunications Industry Revenue data, 
143 carriers reported that they were engaged in the provision of 
interexchange services.64 We do not have data specifying the 
number of these carriers that are not independently owned and operated 
or have more than 1,500 employees, and thus are unable at this time to 
estimate with greater precision the number of IXCs that would qualify 
as small business concerns under the SBA's definition. Consequently, we 
estimate that there are fewer than 143 small entity IXCs that may be 
affected by the proposed rules, if adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \63\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4813.
    \64\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    16. Competitive Access Providers. Neither the Commission nor the 
SBA has developed a definition of small entities specifically 
applicable to competitive access services providers (CAPs). The closest 
applicable definition under the SBA rules is for telephone 
communications companies other than except radiotelephone (wireless) 
companies.65 According to the most recent Telecommunications 
Industry Revenue data, 109 carriers reported that they were engaged in 
the provision of competitive access services.66 We do not 
have data specifying the number of these carriers that are not 
independently owned and operated, or have more than 1,500 employees, 
and thus are unable at this time to estimate with greater precision the 
number of CAPs that would qualify as small business concerns under the 
SBA's definition. Consequently, we estimate that there are fewer than 
109 small entity CAPs that may be affected by the proposed rules, if 
adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \65\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4813.
    \66\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    17. Operator Service Providers. Neither the Commission nor the SBA 
has developed a definition of small entities specifically applicable to 
providers of operator services. The closest applicable definition under 
the SBA rules is for telephone communications companies other than 
radiotelephone (wireless) companies.67 According to the most 
recent Telecommunications Industry Revenue data, 27 carriers reported 
that they were engaged in the provision of operator 
services.68 We do not have data specifying the number of 
these carriers that are not independently owned and operated or have 
more than 1,500 employees, and thus are unable at this time to estimate 
with greater precision the number of operator service providers that 
would qualify as small business concerns under the SBA's definition. 
Consequently, we estimate that there are fewer than 27 small entity 
operator service providers that may be affected by the proposed rules, 
if adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \67\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4813.
    \68\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    18. Pay Telephone Operators. Neither the Commission nor the SBA has

[[Page 16668]]

developed a definition of small entities specifically applicable to pay 
telephone operators. The closest applicable definition under SBA rules 
is for telephone communications companies other than radiotelephone 
(wireless) companies.69 According to the most recent 
Telecommunications Industry Revenue data, 441 carriers reported that 
they were engaged in the provision of pay telephone 
services.70 We do not have data specifying the number of 
these carriers that are not independently owned and operated or have 
more than 1,500 employees, and thus are unable at this time to estimate 
with greater precision the number of pay telephone operators that would 
qualify as small business concerns under the SBA's definition. 
Consequently, we estimate that there are fewer than 441 small entity 
pay telephone operators that may be affected by the proposed rules, if 
adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \69\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4813.
    \70\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    19. Resellers (including debit card providers). Neither the 
Commission nor the SBA has developed a definition of small entities 
specifically applicable to resellers. The closest applicable SBA 
definition for a reseller is a telephone communications company other 
than radiotelephone (wireless) companies.71 According to the 
most recent Telecommunications Industry Revenue data, 339 reported that 
they were engaged in the resale of telephone service.72 We 
do not have data specifying the number of these carriers that are not 
independently owned and operated or have more than 1,500 employees, and 
thus are unable at this time to estimate with greater precision the 
number of resellers that would qualify as small business concerns under 
the SBA's definition. Consequently, we estimate that there are fewer 
than 339 small entity resellers that may be affected by the proposed 
rules, if adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \71\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4813.
    \72\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    20. 800 Service Subscribers.73 Neither the Commission 
nor the SBA has developed a definition of small entities specifically 
applicable to 800 service (``toll free'') subscribers. The most 
reliable source of information regarding the number of 800 service 
subscribers appears to be data the Commission collects on the 800 
numbers in use.74 According to our most recent data, at the 
end of 1995, the number of 800 numbers in use was 6,987,063. Similarly, 
the most reliable source of information regarding the number of 888 
service subscribers appears to be data the Commission collects on the 
888 numbers in use.75 According to our most recent data, at 
the end of August 1996, the number of 888 numbers that had been 
assigned was 2,014,059. We do not have data specifying the number of 
these subscribers that are not independently owned and operated or have 
more than 1,500 employees, and thus are unable at this time to estimate 
with greater precision the number of toll free subscribers that would 
qualify as small business concerns under the SBA's definition. 
Consequently, we estimate that there are fewer than 6,987,063 small 
entity 800 subscribers and fewer than 2,014,059 small entity 888 
subscribers that may be affected by the proposed rules, if adopted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \73\ We include all toll-free number subscribers in this 
category, including 888 numbers.
    \74\ FCC, CCB Industry Analysis Division, FCC Releases, Study on 
Telephone Trends, Tbl. 20 (May 16, 1996).
    \75\ FCC, CCB Industry Analysis Division, Long Distance Carrier 
Code Assignments, p. 80, Tbl. 10B (Oct. 18, 1996).
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International Services

    21. The Commission has not developed a definition of small entities 
applicable to licensees in the international services. Therefore, the 
applicable definition of small entity is generally the definition under 
the SBA rules applicable to Communications Services, Not Elsewhere 
Classified (NEC).76 This definition provides that a small 
entity is expressed as one with $11.0 million or less in annual 
receipts.77 According to the Census Bureau, there were a 
total of 848 communications services providers, NEC, in operation in 
1992, and a total of 775 had annual receipts of less than $9.999 
million.78 The Census report does not provide more precise 
data.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \76\ An exception is the Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) 
Service, infra.
    \77\ 13 CFR 120.121, SIC code 4899.
    \78\ 1992 Economic Census Industry and Enterprise Receipts Size 
Report, Table 2D, SIC code 4899 (U.S. Bureau of the Census data 
under contract to the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business 
Administration).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    22. International Broadcast Stations. Commission records show that 
there are 20 international broadcast station licensees. We do not 
request nor collect annual revenue information, and thus are unable to 
estimate the number of international broadcast licensees that would 
constitute a small business under the SBA definition. However, the 
Commission estimates that only six international broadcast stations are 
subject to regulatory fee payments.
    23. International Public Fixed Radio (Public and Control Stations). 
There are 3 licensees in this service subject to payment of regulatory 
fees. We do not request nor collect annual revenue information, and 
thus are unable to estimate the number of international broadcast 
licensees that would constitute a small business under the SBA 
definition.
    24. Fixed Satellite Transmit/Receive Earth Stations. There are 
approximately 3100 earth station authorizations, a portion of which are 
Fixed Satellite Transmit/Receive Earth Stations. We do not request nor 
collect annual revenue information, and thus are unable to estimate the 
number of the earth stations that would constitute a small business 
under the SBA definition.
    25. Fixed Satellite Small Transmit/Receive Earth Stations. There 
are 3100 earth station authorizations, a portion of which are Fixed 
Satellite Small Transmit/Receive Earth Stations. We do not request nor 
collect annual revenue information, and thus are unable to estimate the 
number of fixed satellite transmit/receive earth stations that may 
constitute a small business under the SBA definition.
    26. Fixed Satellite Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Systems. 
These stations operate on a primary basis, and frequency coordination 
with terrestrial microwave systems is not required. Thus, a single 
``blanket'' application may be filed for a specified number of small 
antennas and one or more hub stations. The Commission has processed 377 
applications. We do not request nor collect annual revenue information, 
and thus are unable to estimate the number of VSAT systems that would 
constitute a small business under the SBA definition.
    27. Mobile Satellite Earth Stations. There are 11 licensees. We do 
not request nor collect annual revenue information, and thus are unable 
to estimate of the number of mobile satellite earth stations that would 
constitute a small business under the SBA definition.
    28. Radio Determination Satellite Earth Stations. There are four 
licensees. We do not request nor collect annual revenue information, 
and thus are unable to estimate the number of radio determination 
satellite earth stations that would constitute a small business under 
the SBA definition.
    29. Space Stations (Geostationary). Commission records reveal that 
there are 43 Geostationary Space Station licensees. We do not request 
nor collect annual revenue information, and thus are unable to estimate 
the number of geostationary space stations that would constitute a 
small business under the SBA definition.

[[Page 16669]]

    30. Space Stations (Non-Geostationary). There are 12 Non-
Geostationary Space Station licensees, of which only two systems are 
operational. We do not request nor collect annual revenue information, 
and thus are unable to estimate of the number of non-geostationary 
space stations that would constitute a small business under the SBA 
definition.
    31. Direct Broadcast Satellites. Because DBS provides subscription 
services, DBS falls within the SBA-recognized definition of ``Cable and 
Other Pay Television Services.''79 This definition provides 
that a small entity is one with $11.0 million or less in annual 
receipts.80 As of December 1996, there were eight DBS 
licensees. However, the Commission does not collect annual revenue data 
for DBS and, therefore, is unable to ascertain the number of small DBS 
licensees that could be impacted by these proposed rules. Although DBS 
service requires a great investment of capital for operation, there are 
several new entrants in this field that may not yet have generated $11 
million in annual receipts, and therefore may be categorized as small 
businesses, if independently owned and operated.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \79\ 13 CFR 120.121, SIC code 4841.
    \80\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4841.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mass Media Services

    32. Commercial Radio and Television Services. The proposed rules 
and policies will apply to television broadcasting licensees and radio 
broadcasting licensees.\81\ The SBA defines a television broadcasting 
station that has $10.5 million or less in annual receipts as a small 
business.\82\ Television broadcasting stations consist of 
establishments primarily engaged in broadcasting visual programs by 
television to the public, except cable and other pay television 
services.\83\ Included in this industry are commercial, religious, 
educational, and other television stations.\84\ Also included are 
establishments primarily engaged in television broadcasting and which 
produce taped television program materials.\85\ Separate establishments 
primarily engaged in producing taped television program materials are 
classified under another SIC number. \86\ There were 1,509 television 
stations operating in the nation in 1992.\87\ That number has remained 
fairly constant as indicated by the approximately 1,564 operating 
television broadcasting stations in the nation as of December 31, 
1997.\88\ For 1992,\89\ the number of television stations that produced 
less than $10.0 million in revenue was 1,155 establishments.\90\ Only 
commercial stations are subject to regulatory fees.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \81\ While we tentatively believe that the SBA's definition of 
``small business'' greatly overstates the number of radio and 
television broadcast stations that are small businesses and is not 
suitable for purposes of determining the impact of the proposals on 
small television and radio stations, for purposes of this Notice we 
utilize the SBA's definition in determining the number of small 
businesses to which the proposed rules would apply. We reserve the 
right to adopt, in the future, a more suitable definition of ``small 
business'' as applied to radio and television broadcast stations or 
other entities subject to the proposed rules in this Notice, and to 
consider further the issue of the number of small entities that are 
radio and television broadcasters or other small media entities. See 
Report and Order in MM Docket No. 93-48 (Children's Television 
Programming), 11 FCC Rcd 10660, 10737-38 (1996), 61 FR 43981 (Aug. 
27, 1996), citing 5 U.S.C. 601(3).
    \82\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4833.
    \83\ Economics and Statistics Administration, Bureau of Census, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1992 Census of Transportation, 
Communications and Utilities, Establishment and Firm Size, Series 
UC92-S-1, Appendix A-9 (1995) (1992 Census, Series UC92-S-1).
    \84\ Id.; see Executive Office of the President, Office of 
Management and Budget, Standard Industrial Classification Manual 
(1987), at 283, which describes ``Television Broadcasting Stations'' 
(SIC code 4833) as: ``Establishments primarily engaged in 
broadcasting visual programs by television to the public, except 
cable and other pay television services. Included in this industry 
are commercial, religious, educational and other television 
stations. Also included here are establishments primarily engaged in 
television broadcasting and which produce taped television program 
materials.''
    \85\ 1992 Census, Series UC92-S-1, at Appendix A-9.
    \86\ Id., SIC code 7812 (Motion Picture and Video Tape 
Production); SIC code 7922 (Theatrical Producers and Miscellaneous 
Theatrical Services) (producers of live radio and television 
programs).
    \87\ FCC News Release No. 31327 (Jan. 13, 1993); 1992 Census, 
Series UC92-S-1, at Appendix A-9.
    \88\ FCC News Release, ``Broadcast Station Totals as of Dec. 31, 
1997.''
    \89\ A census to determine the estimated number of 
Communications establishments is performed every five years, in 
years ending with a ``2'' or ``7.'' See 1992 Census, Series UC92-S-
1, at III.
    \90\ The amount of $10 million was used to estimate the number 
of small business establishments because the relevant Census 
categories stopped at $9,999,999 and began at $10,000,000. No 
category for $10.5 million existed. Thus, the number is as accurate 
as it is possible to calculate with the available information.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    33. Additionally, the Small Business Administration defines a radio 
broadcasting station that has $5 million or less in annual receipts as 
a small business.91 A radio broadcasting station is an 
establishment primarily engaged in broadcasting aural programs by radio 
to the public.92 Included in this industry are commercial, 
religious, educational, and other radio stations.93 Radio 
broadcasting stations which primarily are engaged in radio broadcasting 
and which produce radio program materials are similarly 
included.94 However, radio stations which are separate 
establishments and are primarily engaged in producing radio program 
material are classified under another SIC number.95 The 1992 
Census indicates that 96 percent (5,861 of 6,127) radio station 
establishments produced less than $5 million in revenue in 
1992.96 Official Commission records indicate that 11,334 
individual radio stations were operating in 1992.97 As of 
December 31, 1997, Commission records indicate that 12,270 radio 
stations were operating, of which 7,465 were FM stations.98 
Only commercial stations are subject to regulatory fees.
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    \91\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4832.
    \92\ 1992 Census, Series UC92-S-1, at Appendix A-9.
    \93\ Id.
    \94\ Id.
    \95\ Id.
    \96\ The Census Bureau counts radio stations located at the same 
facility as one establishment. Therefore, each co-located AM/FM 
combination counts as one establishment.
    \97\  FCC News Release, No. 31327 (Jan. 13, 1993).
    \98\ FCC News Release, ``Broadcast Station Totals as of December 
31, 1997.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    34. Thus, the proposed rules, if adopted, will affect approximately 
1,558 full power television stations, approximately 1,200 of which are 
considered small businesses.99 Additionally, the proposed 
rules will affect some 12,156 full power radio stations, approximately 
11,670 of which are small businesses.100 These estimates may 
overstate the number of small entities because the revenue figures on 
which they are based do not include or aggregate revenues from non-
television or non-radio affiliated companies. There are also 1,952 low 
power television stations (LPTV).101 Given the nature of 
this service, we will presume that all LPTV licensees qualify as small 
entities under the SBA definition.
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    \99\ We use the 77 percent figure of TV stations operating at 
less than $10 million for 1992 and apply it to the 1997 total of 
1558 TV stations to arrive at 1,200 stations categorized as small 
businesses.
    \100\ We use the 96% figure of radio station establishments with 
less than $5 million revenue from the Census data and apply it to 
the 12,088 individual station count to arrive at 11,605 individual 
stations as small businesses.
    \101\ FCC News Release, No. 7033 (Mar. 6, 1997).
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Alternative Classification of Small Stations

    35. An alternative way to classify small radio and television 
stations is by number of employees. The Commission currently applies a 
standard based on the number of employees in administering its Equal 
Employment Opportunity Rule (EEO) for broadcasting.102 Thus, 
radio or

[[Page 16670]]

television stations with fewer than five full-time employees are 
exempted from certain EEO reporting and record keeping 
requirements.103 We estimate that the total number of 
broadcast stations with 4 or fewer employees is approximately 
4,239.104
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    \102\ The Commission's definition of a small broadcast station 
for purposes of applying its EEO rules was adopted prior to the 
requirement of approval by the SBA pursuant to section 3(a) of the 
Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. 632(a), as amended by section 222 of 
the Small Business Credit and Business Opportunity Enhancement Act 
of 1992, Public Law 102-366, 222(b)(1), 106 Stat. 999 (1992), as 
further amended by the Small Business Administration Reauthorization 
and Amendments Act of 1994, Public Law 103-403, 301, 108 Stat. 4187 
(1994). However, this definition was adopted after public notice and 
the opportunity for comment. See Report and Order in Docket No. 
18244, 23 FCC 2d 430 (1970), 35 FR 8925 (Jun. 6, 1970).
    \103\ See, e.g., 47 CFR 73.3612 (Requirement to file annual 
employment reports on Form 395 applies to licensees with five or 
more full-time employees); First Report and Order in Docket No. 
21474 (Amendment of Broadcast Equal Employment Opportunity Rules and 
FCC Form 395), 70 FCC 2d 1466 (1979), 50 FR 50329 (Dec. 10, 1985). 
The Commission is currently considering how to decrease the 
administrative burdens imposed by the EEO rule on small stations 
while maintaining the effectiveness of our broadcast EEO 
enforcement. Order and Notice of Proposed Rule Making in MM Docket 
No. 96-16 (Streamlining Broadcast EEO Rule and Policies, Vacating 
the EEO Forfeiture Policy Statement and Amending Section 1.80 of the 
Commission's Rules to Include EEO Forfeiture Guidelines), 11 FCC Rcd 
5154 (1996), 61 FR 9964 (Mar. 12, 1996). One option under 
consideration is whether to define a small station for purposes of 
affording such relief as one with ten or fewer full-time employees.
    \104\ Compilation of 1994 Broadcast Station Annual Employment 
Reports (FCC Form B), Equal Opportunity Employment Branch, Mass 
Media Bureau, FCC.
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Auxiliary, Special Broadcast and Other Program Distribution Services

    36. This service involves a variety of transmitters, generally used 
to relay broadcast programming to the public (through translator and 
booster stations) or within the program distribution chain (from a 
remote news gathering unit back to the station). The Commission has not 
developed a definition of small entities applicable to broadcast 
auxiliary licensees. Therefore, the applicable definitions of small 
entities are those, noted previously, under the SBA rules applicable to 
radio broadcasting stations and television broadcasting 
stations.105
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    \105\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4832.
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    37. There are currently 2,720 FM translators and boosters, 4,952 TV 
translators.106 The FCC does not collect financial 
information on any broadcast facility and the Department of Commerce 
does not collect financial information on these auxiliary broadcast 
facilities. We believe, however, that most, if not all, of these 
auxiliary facilities could be classified as small businesses by 
themselves. We also recognize that most translators and boosters are 
owned by a parent station which, in some cases, would be covered by the 
revenue definition of small business entity discussed above. These 
stations would likely have annual revenues that exceed the SBA maximum 
to be designated as a small business (either $5 million for a radio 
station or $10.5 million for a TV station). Furthermore, they do not 
meet the Small Business Act's definition of a ``small business 
concern'' because they are not independently owned and 
operated.107
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    \106\ FCC News Release, Broadcast Station Totals as of December 
31, 1996, No. 71831 (Jan. 21, 1997).
    \107\ 15 U.S.C. 632.
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    38. Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS). This service involves a 
variety of transmitters, which are used to relay programming to the 
home or office, similar to that provided by cable television 
systems.108 In connection with the 1996 MDS auction the 
Commission defined small businesses as entities that had annual average 
gross revenues for the three preceding years not in excess of $40 
million.109 This definition of a small entity in the context 
of MDS auctions has been approved by the SBA.110 These 
stations were licensed prior to implementation of Section 309(j) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended.111 Licenses for new 
MDS facilities are now awarded to auction winners in Basic Trading 
Areas (BTAs) and BTA-like areas.112 The MDS auctions 
resulted in 67 successful bidders obtaining licensing opportunities for 
493 BTAs. Of the 67 auction winners, 61 meet the definition of a small 
business. There are 1,573 previously authorized and proposed MDS 
stations currently licensed. Thus, we conclude that there are 1,634 MDS 
providers that are small businesses as deemed by the SBA and the 
Commission's auction rules. It is estimated, however, that only 1,650 
MDS licensees are subject to regulatory fees and the number which are 
small businesses is unknown.
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    \108\ For purposes of this item, MDS includes both the single 
channel Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS) and the Multichannel 
Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS).
    \109\ 47 CFR 1.2110(a)(1).
    \110\ Amendment of Parts 21 and 74 of the Commission's Rules 
with Regard to Filing Procedures in the Multipoint Distribution 
Service and in the Instructional Television Fixed Service and 
Implementation of Section 309(j) of the Communications Act--
Competitive Bidding, 10 FCC Rcd 9589 (1995), 60 FR 36524 (Jul. 17, 
1995).
    \111\ 47 U.S.C. 309(j).
    \112\ Id. A Basic Trading Area (BTA) is the geographic area by 
which the Multipoint Distribution Service is licensed. See Rand 
McNally 1992 Commercial Atlas and Marketing Guide, 123rd Edition, 
pp. 36-39.
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Wireless and Commercial Mobile Services

    39. Cellular Licensees. Neither the Commission nor the SBA has 
developed a definition of small entities applicable to cellular 
licensees. Therefore, the applicable definition of small entity is the 
definition under the SBA rules applicable to radiotelephone (wireless) 
companies. This provides that a small entity is a radiotelephone 
company employing no more than 1,500 persons.113 According 
to the Bureau of the Census, only twelve radiotelephone firms out of a 
total of 1,178 such firms which operated during 1992 had 1,000 or more 
employees.114 Therefore, even if all twelve of these firms 
were cellular telephone companies, nearly all cellular carriers were 
small businesses under the SBA's definition. In addition, we note that 
there are 1,758 cellular licenses; however, a cellular licensee may own 
several licenses. In addition, according to the most recent 
Telecommunications Industry Revenue data, 804 carriers reported that 
they were engaged in the provision of either cellular service or 
Personal Communications Service (PCS) services, which are placed 
together in the data.115 We do not have data specifying the 
number of these carriers that are not independently owned and operated 
or have more than 1,500 employees, and thus are unable at this time to 
estimate with greater precision the number of cellular service carriers 
that would qualify as small business concerns under the SBA's 
definition. Consequently, we estimate that there are fewer than 804 
small cellular service carriers that may be affected by the proposed 
rules, if adopted.
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    \113\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4812.
    \114\ 1992 Census, Series UC92-S-1, at Table 5, SIC code 4812.
    \115\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
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    40. 220 MHz Radio Service--Phase I Licensees. The 220 MHz service 
has both Phase I and Phase II licenses. Phase I licensing was conducted 
by lotteries in 1992 and 1993. There are approximately 1,515 such non-
nationwide licensees and four nationwide licensees currently authorized 
to operate in the 220 MHz band. The Commission has not developed a 
definition of small entities specifically applicable to such incumbent 
220 MHz Phase I licensees. To estimate the number of such licensees 
that are small businesses, we apply the definition under the SBA rules 
applicable to Radiotelephone Communications companies. This definition 
provides that a small entity is a radiotelephone company employing

[[Page 16671]]

no more than 1,500 persons.116 According to the Bureau of 
the Census, only 12 radiotelephone firms out of a total of 1,178 such 
firms which operated during 1992 had 1,000 or more 
employees.117 Therefore, if this general ratio continues to 
1999 in the context of Phase I 220 MHz licensees, we estimate that 
nearly all such licensees are small businesses under the SBA's 
definition.
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    \116\ 13 CFR 121.201, Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 
code 4812.
    \117\ U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
1992 Census of Transportation, Communications, and Utilities, UC92-
S-1, Subject Series, Establishment and Firm Size, Table 5, 
Employment Size of Firms; 1992, SIC code 4812 (issued May 1995).
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    41. 220 MHz Radio Service--Phase II Licensees. The Phase II 220 MHz 
service is a new service, and is subject to spectrum auctions. In the 
220 MHz Third Report and Order we adopted criteria for defining small 
businesses and very small businesses for purposes of determining their 
eligibility for special provisions such as bidding credits and 
installment payments.118 We have defined a small business as 
an entity that, together with its affiliates and controlling 
principals, has average gross revenues not exceeding $15 million for 
the preceding three years. Additionally, a very small business is 
defined as an entity that, together with its affiliates and controlling 
principals, has average gross revenues that are not more than $3 
million for the preceding three years.119 The SBA has 
approved these definitions.120 An auction of Phase II 
licenses commenced on September 15, 1998, and closed on October 22, 
1998.121 908 licenses were auctioned in 3 different-sized 
geographic areas: three nationwide licenses, 30 Regional Economic Area 
Group Licenses, and 875 Economic Area (EA) Licenses. Of the 908 
licenses auctioned, 693 were sold. Companies claiming small business 
status won: one of the Nationwide licenses, 67% of the Regional 
licenses, and 54% of the EA licenses. As of January 22, 1999, the 
Commission announced that it was prepared to grant 654 of the Phase II 
licenses won at auction.122 A re-auction of the remaining, 
unsold licenses is likely to take place during calendar year 1999.
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    \118\ 220 MHz Third Report and Order, 12 FCC Rcd 10943, 11068-
70, at paras. 291-295 (1997).
    \119\ 220 MHz Third Report and Order, 12 FCC Rcd at 11068-69, 
para. 291.
    \120\ See Letter from A. Alvarez, Administrator, SBA, to D. 
Phythyon, Chief, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, FCC (Jan. 6, 
1998).
    \121\ See generally Public Notice, ``220 MHz Service Auction 
Closes,'' Report No. WT 98-36 (Wireless Telecom. Bur. Oct. 23, 
1998).
    \122\ Public Notice, ``FCC Announces It is Prepared to Grant 654 
Phase II 220 MHz Licenses After Final Payment is Made,'' Report No. 
AUC-18-H, DA No. 99-229 (Wireless Telecom. Bur. Jan. 22, 1999).
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    42. Private and Common Carrier Paging. The Commission has proposed 
a two-tier definition of small businesses in the context of auctioning 
licenses in the Common Carrier Paging and exclusive Private Carrier 
Paging services. Under the proposal, a small business will be defined 
as either (1) an entity that, together with its affiliates and 
controlling principals, has average gross revenues for the three 
preceding years of not more than $3 million, or (2) an entity that, 
together with affiliates and controlling principals, has average gross 
revenues for the three preceding calendar years of not more than $15 
million. Because the SBA has not yet approved this definition for 
paging services, we will utilize the SBA's definition applicable to 
radiotelephone companies, i.e., an entity employing no more than 1,500 
persons.123 At present, there are approximately 24,000 
Private Paging licenses and 74,000 Common Carrier Paging licenses. 
According to the most recent Telecommunications Industry Revenue data, 
172 carriers reported that they were engaged in the provision of either 
paging or ``other mobile'' services, which are placed together in the 
data.124 We do not have data specifying the number of these 
carriers that are not independently owned and operated or have more 
than 1,500 employees, and thus are unable at this time to estimate with 
greater precision the number of paging carriers that would qualify as 
small business concerns under the SBA's definition. Consequently, we 
estimate that there are fewer than 172 small paging carriers that may 
be affected by the proposed rules, if adopted. We estimate that the 
majority of private and common carrier paging providers would qualify 
as small entities under the SBA definition.
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    \123\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4812.
    \124\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
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    43. Mobile Service Carriers. Neither the Commission nor the SBA has 
developed a definition of small entities specifically applicable to 
mobile service carriers, such as paging companies. As noted above in 
the section concerning paging service carriers, the closest applicable 
definition under the SBA rules is that for radiotelephone (wireless) 
companies,125 and the most recent Telecommunications 
Industry Revenue data shows that 172 carriers reported that they were 
engaged in the provision of either paging or ``other mobile'' 
services.126 Consequently, we estimate that there are fewer 
than 172 small mobile service carriers that may be affected by the 
proposed rules, if adopted.
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    \125\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4812.
    \126\ Telecommunications Industry Revenue, Figure 2.
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    44. Broadband Personal Communications Service (PCS). The broadband 
PCS spectrum is divided into six frequency blocks designated A through 
F, and the Commission has held auctions for each block. The Commission 
defined ``small entity'' for Blocks C and F as an entity that has 
average gross revenues of less than $40 million in the three previous 
calendar years.127 For Block F, an additional classification 
for ``very small business'' was added and is defined as an entity that, 
together with their affiliates, has average gross revenues of not more 
than $15 million for the preceding three calendar years.128 
These regulations defining ``small entity'' in the context of broadband 
PCS auctions have been approved by the SBA.129 No small 
businesses within the SBA-approved definition bid successfully for 
licenses in Blocks A and B. There were 90 winning bidders that 
qualified as small entities in the Block C auctions. A total of 93 
small and very small business bidders won approximately 40% of the 
1,479 licenses for Blocks D, E, and F.130 Based on this 
information, we conclude that the number of small broadband PCS 
licensees will include the 90 winning C Block bidders and the 93 
qualifying bidders in the D, E, and F blocks, for a total of 183 small 
entity PCS providers as defined by the SBA and the Commission's auction 
rules.
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    \127\ See Amendment of Parts 20 and 24 of the Commission's 
Rules--Broadband PCS Competitive Bidding and the Commercial Mobile 
Radio Service Spectrum Cap, Report and Order, FCC 96-278, WT Docket 
No. 96-59, paras. 57-60 (released Jun. 24, 1996), 61 FR 33859 (Jul. 
1, 1996); see also 47 CFR 24.720(b).
    \128\ See Amendment of Parts 20 and 24 of the Commission's 
Rules--Broadband PCS Competitive Bidding and the Commercial Mobile 
Radio Service Spectrum Cap, Report and Order, FCC 96-278, WT Docket 
No. 96-59, para. 60 (1996), 61 FR 33859 (Jul. 1, 1996).
    \129\ See, e.g., Implementation of Section 309(j) of the 
Communications Act--Competitive Bidding, PP Docket No. 93-253, Fifth 
Report and Order, 9 FCC Rcd 5532, 5581-84 (1994).
    \130\ FCC News, Broadband PCS, D, E and F Block Auction Closes, 
No. 71744 (released Jan. 14, 1997).
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    45. Narrowband PCS. The Commission has auctioned nationwide and 
regional licenses for narrowband PCS. There are 11 nationwide and 30 
regional licensees for narrowband PCS. The Commission does not have 
sufficient information to determine whether any of these licensees are 
small businesses within the SBA-approved

[[Page 16672]]

definition for radiotelephone companies. At present, there have been no 
auctions held for the major trading area (MTA) and basic trading area 
(BTA) narrowband PCS licenses. The Commission anticipates a total of 
561 MTA licenses and 2,958 BTA licenses will be awarded by auction. 
Such auctions have not yet been scheduled, however. Given that nearly 
all radiotelephone companies have no more than 1,500 employees and that 
no reliable estimate of the number of prospective MTA and BTA 
narrowband licensees can be made, we assume, for purposes of this IRFA, 
that all of the licenses will be awarded to small entities, as that 
term is defined by the SBA.
    46. Rural Radiotelephone Service. The Commission has not adopted a 
definition of small entity specific to the Rural Radiotelephone 
Service.131 A significant subset of the Rural Radiotelephone 
Service is the Basic Exchange Telephone Radio Systems 
(BETRS).132 We will use the SBA's definition applicable to 
radiotelephone companies, i.e., an entity employing no more than 1,500 
persons.133 There are approximately 1,000 licensees in the 
Rural Radiotelephone Service, and we estimate that almost all of them 
qualify as small entities under the SBA's definition.
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    \131\ The service is defined in section 22.99 of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 22.99.
    \132\ BETRS is defined in sections 22.757 and 22.759 of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 22.757 and 22.759.
    \133\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4812.
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    47. Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service. The Commission has not 
adopted a definition of small entity specific to the Air-Ground 
Radiotelephone Service.134 Accordingly, we will use the 
SBA's definition applicable to radiotelephone companies, i.e., an 
entity employing no more than 1,500 persons.135 There are 
approximately 100 licensees in the Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service, 
and we estimate that almost all of them qualify as small under the SBA 
definition.
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    \134\ The service is defined in section 22.99 of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 22.99.
    \135\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4812.
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    48. Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR). The Commission awards bidding 
credits in auctions for geographic area 800 MHz and 900 MHz SMR 
licenses to firms that had revenues of no more than $15 million in each 
of the three previous calendar years.136 In the context of 
900 MHz SMR, this regulation defining ``small entity'' has been 
approved by the SBA; approval concerning 800 MHz SMR is being sought.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \136\ 47 CFR 90.814(b)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    49. The proposed fees in the NPRM apply to SMR providers in the 800 
MHz and 900 MHz bands that either hold geographic area licenses or have 
obtained extended implementation authorizations. We do not know how 
many firms provide 800 MHz or 900 MHz geographic area SMR service 
pursuant to extended implementation authorizations, nor how many of 
these providers have annual revenues of no more than $15 million. One 
firm has over $15 million in revenues. We assume, for purposes of this 
IRFA, that all of the remaining existing extended implementation 
authorizations are held by small entities, as that term is defined by 
the SBA.
    50. For geographic area licenses in the 900 MHz SMR band, there are 
60 who qualified as small entities. For the 800 MHz SMR's, 38 are small 
or very small entities.
    51. Private Land Mobile Radio (PLMR). PLMR systems serve an 
essential role in a range of industrial, business, land transportation, 
and public safety activities. These radios are used by companies of all 
sizes operating in all U.S. business categories. The Commission has not 
developed a definition of small entity specifically applicable to PLMR 
licensees due to the vast array of PLMR users. For the purpose of 
determining whether a licensee is a small business as defined by the 
SBA, each licensee would need to be evaluated within its own business 
area.
    52. The Commission is unable at this time to estimate the number of 
small businesses which could be impacted by the rules. However, the 
Commission's 1994 Annual Report on PLMRs 137 indicates that 
at the end of fiscal year 1994 there were 1,087,267 licensees operating 
12,481,989 transmitters in the PLMR bands below 512 MHz. Because any 
entity engaged in a commercial activity is eligible to hold a PLMR 
license, the proposed rules in this context could potentially impact 
every small business in the United States.
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    \137\ Federal Communications Commission, 60th Annual Report, 
Fiscal Year 1994, at 116.
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    53. Amateur Radio Service. We estimate that 6,800 applicants will 
apply for vanity call signs in FY 1999. All are presumed to be 
individuals. All other amateur licensees are exempt from payment of 
regulatory fees.
    54. Aviation and Marine Radio Service. Small businesses in the 
aviation and marine radio services use a marine very high frequency 
(VHF) radio, any type of emergency position indicating radio beacon 
(EPIRB) and/or radar, a VHF aircraft radio, and/or any type of 
emergency locator transmitter (ELT). The Commission has not developed a 
definition of small entities specifically applicable to these small 
businesses. Therefore, the applicable definition of small entity is the 
definition under the SBA rules for radiotelephone 
communications.138
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    \138\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC code 4812.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    55. Most applicants for recreational licenses are individuals. 
Approximately 581,000 ship station licensees and 131,000 aircraft 
station licensees operate domestically and are not subject to the radio 
carriage requirements of any statute or treaty. Therefore, for purposes 
of our evaluations and conclusions in this IRFA, we estimate that there 
may be at least 712,000 potential licensees which are individuals or 
are small entities, as that term is defined by the SBA. We estimate, 
however, that only 16,800 will be subject to FY 1999 regulatory fees.
    56. Fixed Microwave Services. Microwave services include common 
carrier,139 private-operational fixed,140 and 
broadcast auxiliary radio services.141 At present, there are 
approximately 22,015 common carrier fixed licensees and 61,670 private 
operational-fixed licensees and broadcast auxiliary radio licensees in 
the microwave services. The Commission has not yet defined a small 
business with respect to microwave services. For purposes of this IRFA, 
we will utilize the SBA's definition applicable to radiotelephone 
companies--i.e., an entity with no more than 1,500 
persons.142 We estimate, for this purpose, that all of the 
Fixed Microwave licensees (excluding broadcast auxiliary licensees) 
would qualify as small entities under the SBA

[[Page 16673]]

definition for radiotelephone companies.
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    \139\ 47 CFR 101 et seq. (formerly, part 21 of the Commission's 
Rules).
    \140\ Persons eligible under parts 80 and 90 of the Commission's 
rules can use Private Operational-Fixed Microwave services. See 47 
CFR parts 80 and 90. Stations in this service are called 
operational-fixed to distinguish them from common carrier and public 
fixed stations. Only the licensee may use the operational-fixed 
station, and only for communications related to the licensee's 
commercial, industrial, or safety operations.
    \141\ Auxiliary Microwave Service is governed by part 74 of 
Title 47 of the Commission's rules. See 47 CFR 74 et seq. Available 
to licensees of broadcast stations and to broadcast and cable 
network entities, broadcast auxiliary microwave stations are used 
for relaying broadcast television signals from the studio to the 
transmitter, or between two points such as a main studio and an 
auxiliary studio. The service also includes mobile TV pickups, which 
relay signals from a remote location back to the studio.
    \142\ 13 CFR 121.201, SIC 4812.
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    57. Public Safety Radio Services. Public Safety radio services 
include police, fire, local government, forestry conservation, highway 
maintenance, and emergency medical services.143 There are a 
total of approximately 127,540 licensees within these services. 
Governmental entities as well as private businesses comprise the 
licensees for these services. As indicated supra in paragraph four of 
this IRFA, all governmental entities with populations of less than 
50,000 fall within the definition of a small entity.144 All 
licensees in this category are exempt from the payment of regulatory 
fees.
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    \143\ With the exception of the special emergency service, these 
services are governed by Subpart B of part 90 of the Commission's 
rules, 47 CFR 90.15-90.27. The police service includes 26,608 
licensees that serve state, county, and municipal enforcement 
through telephony (voice), telegraphy (code) and teletype and 
facsimile (printed material). The fire radio service includes 22,677 
licensees comprised of private volunteer or professional fire 
companies as well as units under governmental control. The local 
government service that is presently comprised of 40,512 licensees 
that are state, county, or municipal entities that use the radio for 
official purposes not covered by other public safety services. There 
are 7,325 licensees within the forestry service which is comprised 
of licensees from state departments of conservation and private 
forest organizations who set up communications networks among fire 
lookout towers and ground crews. The 9,480 state and local 
governments are licensed to highway maintenance service provide 
emergency and routine communications to aid other public safety 
services to keep main roads safe for vehicular traffic. The 1,460 
licensees in the Emergency Medical Radio Service (EMRS) use the 39 
channels allocated to this service for emergency medical service 
communications related to the delivery of emergency medical 
treatment. 47 CFR 90.15-90.27. The 19,478 licensees in the special 
emergency service include medical services, rescue organizations, 
veterinarians, handicapped persons, disaster relief organizations, 
school buses, beach patrols, establishments in isolated areas, 
communications standby facilities, and emergency repair of public 
communications facilities. 47 CFR 90.33-90.55.
    \144\ 5 U.S.C. 601(5).
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    58. Personal Radio Services. Personal radio services provide short-
range, low power radio for personal communications, radio signalling, 
and business communications not provided for in other services. The 
services include the citizen's band (CB) radio service, general mobile 
radio service (GMRS), radio control radio service, and family radio 
service (FRS).145 Inasmuch as the CB, GMRS, and FRS 
licensees are individuals, no small business definition applies for 
these services. We are unable at this time to estimate the number of 
other licensees that would qualify as small under the SBA's definition; 
however, only GMRS licensees are subject to regulatory fees.
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    \145\ Licensees in the Citizens Band (CB) Radio Service, General 
Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), Radio Control (R/C) Radio Service and 
Family Radio Service (FRS) are governed by Subpart D, Subpart A, 
Subpart C, and Subpart B, respectively, of part 95 of the 
Commission's rules. 47 CFR 95.401-95.428; 95.1-95.181; 95.201-
95.225; 47 CFR 95.191-95.194.
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    59. Offshore Radiotelephone Service. This service operates on 
several UHF TV broadcast channels that are not used for TV broadcasting 
in the coastal area of the states bordering the Gulf of 
Mexico.146 At present, there are approximately 55 licensees 
in this service. We are unable at this time to estimate the number of 
licensees that would qualify as small under the SBA's definition for 
radiotelephone communications.
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    \146\ This service is governed by subpart I of part 22 of the 
Commission's rules. See 47 CFR 22.1001-22.1037.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    60. Wireless Communications Services. This service can be used for 
fixed, mobile, radiolocation and digital audio broadcasting satellite 
uses. The Commission defined ``small business'' for the wireless 
communications services (WCS) auction as an entity with average gross 
revenues of $40 million for each of the three preceding years, and a 
``very small business'' as an entity with average gross revenues of $15 
million for each of the three preceding years. The Commission auctioned 
geographic area licenses in the WCS service. In the auction, there were 
seven winning bidders that qualified as very small business entities, 
and one that qualified as a small business entity. We conclude that the 
number of geographic area WCS licensees affected includes these eight 
entities.

IV. Description of Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping and Other 
Compliance Requirements

    61. With certain exceptions, the Commission's Schedule of 
Regulatory Fees applies to all Commission licensees and regulatees. 
Most licensees will be required to count the number of licenses or call 
signs authorized, complete and submit an FCC Form 159 (``FCC Remittance 
Advice''), and pay a regulatory fee based on the number of licenses or 
call signs.147 Interstate telephone service providers must 
compute their annual regulatory fee based on their adjusted gross 
interstate revenue using information they already supply to the 
Commission in compliance with the Telecommunications Relay Service 
(TRS) Fund, and they must complete and submit the FCC Form 159. 
Compliance with the fee schedule will require some licensees to 
tabulate the number of units (e.g., cellular telephones, pagers, cable 
TV subscribers) they have in service, and complete and submit an FCC 
Form 159. Licensees ordinarily will keep a list of the number of units 
they have in service as part of their normal business practices. No 
additional outside professional skills are required to complete the FCC 
Form 159, and it can be completed by the employees responsible for an 
entity's business records.
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    \147\ The following categories are exempt from the Commission's 
Schedule of Regulatory Fees: Amateur radio licensees (except 
applicants for vanity call signs) and operators in other non-
licensed services (e.g., Personal Radio, part 15, ship and 
aircraft). Governments and non-profit (exempt under section 501(c) 
of the Internal Revenue Code) entities are exempt from payment of 
regulatory fees and need not submit payment. Non-commercial 
educational broadcast licensees are exempt from regulatory fees as 
are licensees of auxiliary broadcast services such as low power 
auxiliary stations, television auxiliary service stations, remote 
pickup stations and aural broadcast auxiliary stations where such 
licenses are used in conjunction with commonly owned non-commercial 
educational stations. Emergency Alert System licenses for auxiliary 
service facilities are also exempt as are instructional television 
fixed service licensees. Regulatory fees are automatically waived 
for the licensee of any translator station that: (1) is not licensed 
to, in whole or in part, and does not have common ownership with, 
the licensee of a commercial broadcast station; (2) does not derive 
income from advertising; and (3) is dependent on subscriptions or 
contributions from members of the community served for support. 
Receive only earth station permittees are exempt from payment of 
regulatory fees. A regulatee will be relieved of its fee payment 
requirement if its total fee due, including all categories of fees 
for which payment is due by the entity, amounts to less than $10.
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    62. Each licensee must submit the FCC Form 159 to the Commission's 
lockbox bank after computing the number of units subject to the fee. As 
an option, licensees are permitted to file electronically or on 
computer diskette to minimize the burden of submitting multiple copies 
of the FCC Form 159. This latter, optional procedure may require 
additional technical skills. Licensees who pay small fees in advance 
supply fee information as part of their application and do not need to 
use the FCC Form 159.
    63. Licensees and regulatees are advised that failure to submit the 
required regulatory fee in a timely manner will subject the licensee or 
regulatee to a late payment fee of 25 percent in addition to the 
required fee.148 Until payment is received, no new or 
pending applications will be processed, and existing authorizations may 
be subject to rescission.149 Further, in accordance with the 
Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, federal agencies may bar a 
person or entity from obtaining a federal loan or loan

[[Page 16674]]

insurance guarantee if that person or entity fails to pay a delinquent 
debt owed to any federal agency.150 Thus, debts owed to the 
Commission may result in a person or entity being denied a federal loan 
or loan guarantee pending before another federal agency until such 
obligations are paid.151
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    \148\ 47 U.S.C. 1.1164(a).
    \149\ 47 U.S.C. 1.1164(c).
    \150\ Public Law 104-134, 110 Stat. 1321 (1996).
    \151\ 31 U.S.C. 7701(c)(2)(B).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    64. The Commission's rules currently provide for relief in 
exceptional circumstances. Persons or entities that believe they have 
been placed in the wrong regulatory fee category or are experiencing 
extraordinary and compelling financial hardship, upon a showing that 
such circumstances override the public interest in reimbursing the 
Commission for its regulatory costs, may request a waiver, reduction or 
deferment of payment of the regulatory fee.152 However, 
timely submission of the required regulatory fee must accompany 
requests for waivers or reductions. This will avoid any late payment 
penalty if the request is denied. The fee will be refunded if the 
request is granted. In exceptional and compelling instances (where 
payment of the regulatory fee along with the waiver or reduction 
request could result in reduction of service to a community or other 
financial hardship to the licensee), the Commission will accept a 
petition to defer payment along with a waiver or reduction request.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \152\ 47 U.S.C. 1.1166.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

V. Steps Taken to Minimize Significant Economic Impact on Small 
Entities, and Significant Alternatives Considered

    65. The Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental 
Appropriations Act for FY 1999, Public Law 105-277 requires the 
Commission to revise its Schedule of Regulatory Fees in order to 
recover the amount of regulatory fees that Congress, pursuant to 
Section 9(a) of the Communications Act, as amended, has required the 
Commission to collect for Fiscal Year (FY) 1999.153 We seek 
comment on the proposed methodology for implementing these statutory 
requirements and any other potential impact of these proposals on small 
entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \153\ 47 U.S.C.159(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    66. With the use of actual cost accounting data for computation of 
regulatory fees, we found that some fees which were very small in 
previous years would have increased dramatically. The methodology 
proposed in this NPRM minimizes this impact by limiting the amount of 
increase and shifting costs to other services which, for the most part, 
are larger entities.
    67. Several categories of licensees and regulatees are exempt from 
payment of regulatory fees. See, e.g., footnote 108, supra, and 
Attachment H of the NPRM, infra.

VI. Federal Rules That May Duplicate, Overlap, or Conflict With the 
Proposed Rules

    68. None.

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[[Page 16682]]

Attachment F--Detailed Guidance on Who Must Pay Regulatory Fees

    1. The guidelines below provide an explanation of regulatory fee 
categories established by the Schedule of Regulatory Fees in section 9 
(g) of the Communications Act,155 as modified in the instant 
NPRM. Where regulatory fee categories need interpretation or 
clarification, we have relied on the legislative history of section 9, 
our own experience in establishing and regulating the Schedule of 
Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Years (FY) 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998 
and the services subject to the fee schedule. The categories and 
amounts set out in the schedule have been modified to reflect changes 
in the number of payment units, additions and changes in the services 
subject to the fee requirement and the benefits derived from the 
Commission's regulatory activities, and to simplify the structure of 
the schedule. The schedule may be similarly modified or adjusted in 
future years to reflect changes in the Commission's budget and in the 
services regulated by the Commission.156
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \155\ 47 U.S.C. 159(g)
    \156\ 47 U.S.C. 159(b)(2), (3).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Exemptions. Governments and nonprofit entities are exempt from 
paying regulatory fees and should not submit payment. A nonprofit 
entity may be asked to submit a current IRS Determination Letter 
documenting that it is exempt from taxes under section 501 of the 
Internal Revenue Code or the certification of a governmental authority 
attesting to its nonprofit status. The governmental exemption applies 
even where the government-owned or community-owned facility is in 
competition with a commercial operation. Other specific exemptions are 
discussed below in the descriptions of other particular service 
categories.

1. Private Wireless Radio Services

    3. Two levels of statutory fees were established for the Private 
Wireless Radio Services--exclusive use services and shared use 
services. Thus, licensees who generally receive a higher quality 
communication channel due to exclusive or lightly shared frequency 
assignments will pay a higher fee than those who share marginal quality 
assignments. This dichotomy is consistent with the directive of section 
9, that the regulatory fees reflect the benefits provided to the 
licensees.157 In addition, because of the generally small 
amount of the fees assessed against Private Wireless Radio Service 
licensees, applicants for new licenses and reinstatements and for 
renewal of existing licenses are required to pay a regulatory fee 
covering the entire license term, with only a percentage of all 
licensees paying a regulatory fee in any one year. Applications for 
modification or assignment of existing authorizations do not require 
the payment of regulatory fees. The expiration date of those 
authorizations will reflect only the unexpired term of the underlying 
license rather than a new license term.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \157\ 47 U.S.C. 159(b)(1)(A).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

a. Exclusive Use Services
    4. Private Mobile Radio Services (PMRS): Regulatees in this 
category include those authorized under part 90 of the Commission's 
rules to provide limited access Wireless Radio service that allows high 
quality voice or digital communications between vehicles or to fixed 
stations to further the business activities of the licensee. These 
services, using the 220-222 MHz band and frequencies at 470 MHz and 
above, may be offered on a private carrier basis in the Specialized 
Mobile Radio Services (SMRS).158 For FY 1999, PMRS licensees 
will pay a $13 annual regulatory fee per license, payable for an entire 
five or ten year license term at the time of application for a new, 
renewal, or reinstatement license.159 The total regulatory 
fee due is either $65 for a license with a five year term or $130 for a 
license with a 10 year term.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \158\ This category only applies to licensees of shared-use 
private 220-222 MHz and 470 MHz and above in the Specialized Mobile 
Radio (SMR) service who have elected not to change to the Commercial 
Mobile Radio Service (CMRS). Those who have elected to change to the 
CMRS are referred to paragraph 14 of this Attachment.
    \159\ Although this fee category includes licenses with ten-year 
terms, the estimated volume of ten-year license applications in FY 
1999 is less than one-tenth of one percent and, therefore, is 
statistically insignificant.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    5. Microwave Services: These services include private and 
commercial microwave systems and private and commercial carrier systems 
authorized under part 101 of the Commission's rules to provide 
telecommunications services between fixed points on a high quality 
channel of communications. Microwave systems are often used to relay 
data and to control railroad, pipeline, and utility equipment. 
Commercial systems typically are used for video or data transmission or 
distribution. For FY 1999, Microwave licensees will pay a $13 annual 
regulatory fee per license, payable for an entire ten year license term 
at the time of application for a new, renewal, or reinstatement 
license. The total regulatory fee due is $130 for the ten year license 
term.
    6. Interactive Video Data Service (IVDS): The IVDS is a two-way, 
point-to-multi-point radio service allocated high quality channels of 
communications and authorized under part 95 of the Commission's rules. 
The IVDS provides information, products, and services, and also the 
capability to obtain responses from subscribers in a specific service 
area. The IVDS is offered on a private carrier basis. The Commission 
does not anticipate receiving any applications in the IVDS during FY 
1999. Therefore, for FY 1999, there is no regulatory fee for IVDS 
licensees.
b. Shared Use Services
    7. Marine (Ship) Service: This service is a shipboard radio service 
authorized under part 80 of the Commission's rules to provide 
telecommunications between watercraft or between watercraft and shore-
based stations. Radio installations are required by domestic and 
international law for large passenger or cargo vessels. Radio equipment 
may be voluntarily installed on smaller vessels, such as recreational 
boats. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 gave the Commission the 
authority to license certain ship stations by rule rather than by 
individual license. The Commission exercises that authority. Thus, 
private boat operators sailing entirely within domestic U.S. waters and 
who are not otherwise required by treaty or agreement to carry a radio, 
are no longer required to hold a marine license, and they will not be 
required to pay a regulatory fee. For FY 1999, parties required to be 
licensed and those choosing to be licensed for Marine (Ship) Stations 
will pay a $7 annual regulatory fee per station, payable for an entire 
ten-year license term at the time of application for a new, renewal, or 
reinstatement license. The total regulatory fee due is $70 for the ten 
year license term.
    8. Marine (Coast) Service: This service includes land-based 
stations in the maritime services, authorized under part 80 of the 
Commission's rules, to provide communications services to ships and 
other watercraft in coastal and inland waterways. For FY 1999, 
licensees of Marine (Coast) Stations will pay a $7 annual regulatory 
fee per call sign, payable for the entire five year license term at the 
time of application for a new, renewal, or reinstatement license. The 
total regulatory fee due is $35 per call sign for the five-year license 
term.
    9. Private Land Mobile (Other) Services: These services include 
Land Mobile Radio Services operating under parts 90 and 95 of the 
Commission's

[[Page 16683]]

rules. Services in this category provide one- or two-way communications 
between vehicles, persons or fixed stations on a shared basis and 
include radiolocation services, industrial radio services, and land 
transportation radio services. For FY 1999, licensees of services in 
this category will pay a $7 annual regulatory fee per call sign, 
payable for an entire five-year license term at the time of application 
for a new, renewal, or reinstatement license. The total regulatory fee 
due is $35 for the five-year license term.
    10. Aviation (Aircraft) Service: These services include stations 
authorized to provide communications between aircraft and between 
aircraft and ground stations and include frequencies used to 
communicate with air traffic control facilities pursuant to part 87 of 
the Commission's rules. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 gave the 
Commission the authority to license certain aircraft radio stations by 
rule rather than by individual license. The commission exercises that 
authority. Thus, private aircraft operators flying entirely within 
domestic U.S. airspace and who are not otherwise required by treaty or 
agreement to carry a radio are no longer required to hold an aircraft 
license, and they will not be required to pay a regulatory fee. For FY 
1999, parties required to be licensed and those choosing to be licensed 
for Aviation (Aircraft) Stations will pay a $7 annual regulatory fee 
per station, payable for the entire ten-year license term at the time 
of application for a new, renewal, or reinstatement license. The total 
regulatory fee due is $70 per station for the ten-year license term.
    11. Aviation (Ground) Service: This service includes stations 
authorized to provide ground-based communications to aircraft for 
weather or landing information, or for logistical support pursuant to 
part 87 of the Commission's rules. Certain ground-based stations which 
only serve itinerant traffic, i.e., possess no actual units on which to 
assess a fee, are exempt from payment of regulatory fees. For FY 1999, 
licensees of Aviation (Ground) Stations will pay a $7 annual regulatory 
fee per license, payable for the entire five-year license term at the 
time of application for a new, renewal, or reinstatement license. The 
total regulatory fee is $35 per call sign for the five-year license 
term.
    12. General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS): These services include 
Land Mobile Radio licensees providing personal and limited business 
communications between vehicles or to fixed stations for short-range, 
two-way communications pursuant to part 95 of the Commission's rules. 
For FY 1999, GMRS licensees will pay a $7 annual regulatory fee per 
license, payable for an entire five-year license term at the time of 
application for a new, renewal or reinstatement license. The total 
regulatory fee due is $35 per license for the five-year license term.
c. Amateur Radio Vanity Call Signs
    13. Amateur Vanity Call Signs: This category covers voluntary 
requests for specific call signs in the Amateur Radio Service 
authorized under part 97 of the Commission's rules. Applicants for 
Amateur Vanity Call-Signs will continue to pay a $1.30 annual 
regulatory fee per call sign, as prescribed in the FY 1998 fee 
schedule, payable for an entire ten-year license term at the time of 
application for a vanity call sign until the FY 1999 fee schedule 
becomes effective. The total regulatory fee due would be $13 per 
license for the ten-year license term.160 For FY 1999, 
Amateur Vanity Call Sign applicants will pay a $1.42 annual regulatory 
fee per call sign, payable for an entire ten-year term at the time of 
application for a new, renewal or reinstatement license. The total 
regulatory fee due is $14.20 per call sign for the ten-year license 
term. We propose that there will be no refunds to applicants who submit 
applications before implementation of the FY 1999 fee.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \160\ Section 9(h) exempts ``amateur radio operator licenses 
under part 97 of the Commission's rules (47 CFR part 97)'' from the 
requirement. However, section 9(g)'s fee schedule explicitly 
includes ``Amateur vanity call signs'' as a category subject to the 
payment of a regulatory fee.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

d. Commercial Wireless Radio Services
    14. Commercial Mobile Radio Services (CMRS) Mobile Services: The 
Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) is an ``umbrella'' descriptive 
term attributed to various existing broadband services authorized to 
provide interconnected mobile radio services for profit to the public, 
or to such classes of eligible users as to be effectively available to 
a substantial portion of the public. CMRS Mobile Services include 
certain licensees which formerly were licensed as part of the Private 
Radio Services (e.g., Specialized Mobile Radio Services) and others 
formerly licensed as part of the Common Carrier Radio Services (e.g., 
Public Mobile Services and Cellular Radio Service). While specific 
rules pertaining to each covered service remain in separate parts 22, 
24, 27, 80 and 90, general rules for CMRS are contained in part 20. 
CMRS Mobile Services will include: Specialized Mobile Radio Services 
(part 90);161 Broadband Personal Communications Services 
(part 24), Public Coast Stations (part 80); Public Mobile Radio 
(Cellular, 800 MHz Air-Ground Radiotelephone, and Offshore Radio 
Services) (part 22); and Wireless Communications Service (part 27). 
Each licensee in this group will pay an annual regulatory fee for each 
mobile or cellular unit (mobile or telephone number), assigned to its 
customers, including resellers of its services. For FY 1999, the 
regulatory fee is $.32 per unit.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \161\ This category does not include licensees of private 
shared-use 220 MHz and 470 MHz and above in the Specialized Mobile 
Radio (SMR) service who have elected to remain non-commercial. Those 
who have elected not to change to the Commercial Mobile Radio 
Service (CMRS) are referred to paragraph 4 of this Attachment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    15. Commercial Mobile Radio Services (CMRS) Messaging Services: The 
Commercial Mobile Radio Service (CMRS) is an ``umbrella'' descriptive 
term attributed to various existing narrowband services authorized to 
provide interconnected mobile radio services for profit to the public, 
or to such classes of eligible users as to be effectively available to 
a substantial portion of the public. CMRS Messaging Services include 
certain licensees which formerly were licensed as part of the Private 
Radio Services (e.g., Private Paging and Radiotelephone Service), 
licensees formerly licensed as part of the Common Carrier Radio 
Services (e.g., Public Mobile One-Way Paging), licensees of Narrowband 
Personal Communications Service (PCS) (e.g., one-way and two-way 
paging), and 220-222 MHz Band and Interconnected Business Radio 
Service. While specific rules pertaining to each covered service remain 
in separate parts 22, 24 and 90, general rules for CMRS are contained 
in part 20. Each licensee in the CMRS Messaging Services will pay an 
annual regulatory fee for each unit (pager, telephone number, or 
mobile) assigned to its customers, including resellers of its services. 
For FY 1999, the regulatory fee is $.04 per unit.
    16. Finally, we are reiterating our definition of CMRS payment 
units to make it clear that fees are assessable on each PCS or cellular 
telephone and each one-way or two-way pager capable of receiving or 
transmitting information, whether or not the unit is ``active'' on the 
``as-of'' date for payment of these fees. The unit becomes ``feeable'' 
if the end user or assignee of the unit has possession of the unit and 
the unit is capable of transmitting or receiving voice or non-voice 
messages or data and the unit is either owned and operated by the 
licensee of the CMRS system or a

[[Page 16684]]

reseller, or the end user of a unit has a contractual agreement for the 
provision of a CMRS service from a licensee of a CMRS system or a 
reseller of a CMRS service. The responsible payer of the regulatory fee 
is the CMRS licensee. For example, John Doe purchases a pager and 
contractually obtains paging services from Paging Licensee X. Paging 
Licensee X is responsible for paying the applicable regulatory fee for 
this unit. Likewise, Cellular Licensee Y donates cellular phones to a 
high school and the high school either pays for or obtains free 
cellular service from Cellular Licensee Y. In this situation, Cellular 
Licensee Y is responsible for paying the applicable regulatory fees for 
these units.

2. Mass Media Services

    17. The regulatory fees for the Mass Media fee category apply to 
broadcast licensees and permittees. Noncommercial Educational 
Broadcasters are exempt from regulatory fees.
a. Commercial Radio
    18. These categories include licensed Commercial AM (Classes A, B, 
C, and D) and FM (Classes A, B, B1, C, C1, C2, and C3) Radio Stations 
operating under part 73 of the Commission's rules.162 We 
have combined class of station and city grade contour population data 
to formulate a schedule of radio fees which differentiate between 
stations based on class of station and population served. In general, 
higher class stations and stations in metropolitan areas will pay 
higher fees than lower class stations and stations located in rural 
areas. The specific fee that a station must pay is determined by where 
it ranks after weighting its fee requirement (determined by class of 
station) with its population. The regulatory fee classifications for 
Radio Stations for FY 1999 are as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \162\ The Commission acknowledges that certain stations 
operating in Puerto Rico and Guam have been assigned a higher level 
station class than would be expected if the station were located on 
the mainland. Although this results in a higher regulatory fee, we 
believe that the increased interference protection associated with 
the higher station class is necessary and justifies the fee.

                                                          FY 1999 Radio Station Regulatory Fees
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                           FM Classes A,   FM Classes B,
                    Population served                       AM Class A      AM Class B      AM Class C      AM Class D        B1 & C3       C, C1 & C2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<20,000.................................................             430             325             225             275             325             430
20,001-50,000...........................................             825             650             325             450             650             825
50,001-125,000..........................................           1,350             875             450             675             875           1,350
125,001-400,000.........................................           2,000           1,400             675             825           1,400           2,000
400,001-1,000,000.......................................           2,750           2,250           1,250           1,500           2,250           2,750
>1,000,000..............................................           4,400           3,600           1,750           2,250           3,600           4,400
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    19. Licensees may determine the appropriate fee payment by 
referring to a list which will be provided as an attachment to the 
final Report and Order in this proceeding. This same information will 
be available on the FCC's internet world wide web site (http://
www.fcc.gov) by calling the FCC's National Call Center (1-888-225-
5322), and may be included in the Public Notices mailed to each 
licensee for which we have a current address on file (Note: Non-receipt 
of a Public Notice does not relieve a licensee of its obligation to 
submit its regulatory fee payment).
b. Construction Permits--Commercial AM Radio
    20. This category includes holders of permits to construct new 
Commercial AM Stations. For FY 1999, permittees will pay a fee of $255 
for each permit held. Upon issuance of an operating license, this fee 
would no longer be applicable and licensees would be required to pay 
the applicable fee for the designated group within which the station 
appears.
c. Construction Permits--Commercial FM Radio
    21. This category includes holders of permits to construct new 
Commercial FM Stations. For FY 1999, permittees will pay a fee of 
$1,250 for each permit held. Upon issuance of an operating license, 
this fee would no longer be applicable. Instead, licensees would pay a 
regulatory fee based upon the designated group within which the station 
appears.
d. Commercial Television Stations
    22. This category includes licensed Commercial VHF and UHF 
Television Stations covered under part 73 of the Commission's rules, 
except commonly owned Television Satellite Stations, addressed 
separately below. Markets are Nielsen Designated Market Areas (DMA) as 
listed in the Television & Cable Factbook, Stations Volume No. 67, 1999 
Edition, Warren Publishing, Inc. The fees for each category of station 
are as follows:

VHF Markets 1-10--$41,125
VHF Markets 11-25--$34,225
VHF Markets 26-50--$23,425
VHF Markets 51-100--$13,100
VHF Remaining Markets--$3,400
UHF Markets 1-10--$15,500
UHF Markets 11-25--$11,725
UHF Markets 26-50--$7,275
UHF Markets 51-100--$4,350
UHF Remaining Markets--$1,175
e. Commercial Television Satellite Stations
    23. Commonly owned Television Satellite Stations in any market 
(authorized pursuant to Note 5 of Sec. 73.3555 of the Commission's 
rules) that retransmit programming of the primary station are assessed 
a fee of $1,275 annually. Those stations designated as Television 
Satellite Stations in the 1999 Edition of the Television and Cable 
Factbook are subject to the fee applicable to Television Satellite 
Stations. All other television licensees are subject to the regulatory 
fee payment required for their class of station and market.
f. Construction Permits--Commercial VHF Television Stations
    24. This category includes holders of permits to construct new 
Commercial VHF Television Stations. For FY 1999, VHF permittees will 
pay an annual regulatory fee of $2,775. Upon issuance of an operating 
license, this fee would no longer be applicable. Instead, licensees 
would pay a fee based upon the designated market of the station.
g. Construction Permits--Commercial UHF Television Stations
    25. This category includes holders of permits to construct new UHF 
Television Stations. For FY 1999, UHF Television permittees will pay an 
annual regulatory fee of $2,900. Upon issuance of an operating license, 
this fee would no longer be applicable. Instead,

[[Page 16685]]

licensees would pay a fee based upon the designated market of the 
station.
h. Construction Permits--Satellite Television Stations
    26. The fee for UHF and VHF Television Satellite Station 
construction permits for FY 1999 is $460. An individual regulatory fee 
payment is to be made for each Television Satellite Station 
construction permit held.
i. Low Power Television, FM Translator and Booster Stations, TV 
Translator and Booster Stations
    27. This category includes Low Power UHF/VHF Television stations 
operating under part 74 of the Commission's rules with a transmitter 
power output limited to 1 kW for a UHF facility and, generally, 0.01 kW 
for a VHF facility. Low Power Television (LPTV) stations may retransmit 
the programs and signals of a TV Broadcast Station, originate 
programming, and/or operate as a subscription service. This category 
also includes translators and boosters operating under part 74 which 
rebroadcast the signals of full service stations on a frequency 
different from the parent station (translators) or on the same 
frequency (boosters). The stations in this category are secondary to 
full service stations in terms of frequency priority. We have also 
received requests for waivers of the regulatory fees from operators of 
community based Translators. These Translators are generally not 
affiliated with commercial broadcasters, are nonprofit, nonprofitable, 
or only marginally profitable, serve small rural communities, and are 
supported financially by the residents of the communities served. We 
are aware of the difficulties these Translators have in paying even 
minimal regulatory fees, and we have addressed those concerns in the 
ruling on reconsideration of the FY 1994 Report and Order. Community 
based Translators are exempt from regulatory fees. For FY 1999, 
licensees in low power television, FM translator and booster, and TV 
translator and booster category will pay a regulatory fee of $290 for 
each license held.
j. Broadcast Auxiliary Stations
    28. This category includes licensees of remote pickup stations 
(either base or mobile) and associated accessory equipment authorized 
pursuant to a single license, Aural Broadcast Auxiliary Stations 
(Studio Transmitter Link and Inter-City Relay) and Television Broadcast 
Auxiliary Stations (TV Pickup, TV Studio Transmitter Link, TV Relay) 
authorized under part 74 of the Commission's Rules. Auxiliary Stations 
are generally associated with a particular television or radio 
broadcast station or cable television system. This category does not 
include translators and boosters (see paragraph 26 infra). For FY 1999, 
licensees of Commercial Auxiliary Stations will pay a $12 annual 
regulatory fee on a per call sign basis.
k. Multipoint Distribution Service
    29. This category includes Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS), 
Local Multipoint Distribution (LMDS), and Multichannel Multipoint 
Distribution Service (MMDS), authorized under part 21 of the 
Commission's Rules to use microwave frequencies for video and data 
distribution within the United States. For FY 1999, MDS, LMDS, and MMDS 
stations will pay an annual regulatory fee of $285 per call sign.

3. Cable Services

a. Cable Television Systems
    30. This category includes operators of Cable Television Systems, 
providing or distributing programming or other services to subscribers 
under part 76 of the Commission's Rules. For FY 1999, Cable Systems 
will pay a regulatory fee of $.48 per subscriber.163 
Payments for Cable Systems are to be made on a per subscriber basis as 
of December 31, 1998. Cable Systems should determine their subscriber 
numbers by calculating the number of single family dwellings, the 
number of individual households in multiple dwelling units, e.g., 
apartments, condominiums, mobile home parks, etc., paying at the basic 
subscriber rate, the number of bulk rate customers and the number of 
courtesy or fee customers. In order to determine the number of bulk 
rate subscribers, a system should divide its bulk rate charge by the 
annual subscription rate for individual households. See FY 1994 Report 
and Order, 59 FR 30984 (January 16, 1994).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \163\ Cable systems are to pay their regulatory fees on a per 
subscriber basis rather than per 1,000 subscribers as set forth in 
the statutory fee schedule. See FY 1994 Report and Order at 
paragraph 100.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Cable Antenna Relay Service
    31. This category includes Cable Antenna Relay Service (CARS) 
stations used to transmit television and related audio signals, signals 
of AM and FM Broadcast Stations, and cablecasting from the point of 
reception to a terminal point from where the signals are distributed to 
the public by a Cable Television System. For FY 1999, licensees will 
pay an annual regulatory fee of $55 per CARS license.

4. Common Carrier Services

a. Commercial Microwave (Domestic Public Fixed Radio Service)
    32. This category includes licensees in the Point-to-Point 
Microwave Radio Service, Local Television Transmission Radio Service, 
and Digital Electronic Message Service, authorized under part 101 of 
the Commission's rules to use microwave frequencies for video and data 
distribution within the United States. These services are now included 
in the Microwave category (see paragraph 5 infra).
b. Interstate Telephone Service Providers
    33. This category includes Inter-Exchange Carriers (IXCs), Local 
Exchange Carriers (LECs), Competitive Access Providers (CAPs), domestic 
and international carriers that provide operator services, Wide Area 
Telephone Service (WATS), 800, 900, telex, telegraph, video, other 
switched, interstate access, special access, and alternative access 
services either by using their own facilities or by reselling 
facilities and services of other carriers or telephone carrier holding 
companies, and companies other than traditional local telephone 
companies that provide interstate access services to long distance 
carriers and other customers. This category also includes pre-paid 
calling card providers. These common carriers, including resellers, 
must submit fee payments based upon their proportionate share of gross 
interstate revenues using the methodology that we have adopted for 
calculating contributions to the TRS fund.164 In order to 
avoid imposing any double payment burden on resellers, we will permit 
carriers to subtract from their gross interstate revenues, as reported 
to NECA in connection with their TRS contribution, any payments made to 
underlying common carriers for telecommunications facilities and 
services, including payments for interstate access service, that are 
sold in the form of interstate service. For this purpose, resold 
telecommunications facilities and services are only intended to include 
payments that correspond to revenues that will be included by another 
carrier reporting interstate revenue. For FY 1999, carriers must 
multiply their adjusted gross revenue figure (gross revenue reduced by 
the total amount of their payments to underlying common carriers for 
telecommunications facilities or services) by the factor 0.0012 to

[[Page 16686]]

determine the appropriate fee for this category of service. Regulatees 
may want to use the following worksheet to determine their fee payment:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \164\ See Telecommunications Relay Services, 8 FCC Rcd 5300 
(1993), 58 FR 39671 (Jul. 26, 1993).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Total        Interstate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) Revenue reported in TRS Fund           ...........  ................
 worksheets..............................
(2) Less: Access charges paid............  ...........  ................
(3) Less: Other telecommunications         ...........  ................
 facilities and services taken for resale
(4) Adjusted revenues (1)minus(2)minus(3)  ...........  ................
(5) Fee factor...........................  ...........            0.0012
(6) Fee due (4)times(5)..................  ...........  ................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. International Services

a. Earth Stations
    34. Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) Earth Stations, equivalent 
C-Band Earth Stations and antennas, and earth station systems comprised 
of very small aperture terminals operate in the 12 and 14 GHz bands and 
provide a variety of communications services to other stations in the 
network. VSAT systems consist of a network of technically-identical 
small Fixed-Satellite Earth Stations which often include a larger hub 
station. VSAT Earth Stations and C-Band Equivalent Earth Stations are 
authorized pursuant to part 25 of the Commission's rules. Mobile 
Satellite Earth Stations, operating pursuant to part 25 of the 
Commission's rules under blanket licenses for mobile antennas 
(transceivers), are smaller than one meter and provide voice or data 
communications, including position location information for mobile 
platforms such as cars, buses, or trucks.165 Fixed-Satellite 
Transmit/Receive and Transmit-Only Earth Station antennas, authorized 
or registered under part 25 of the Commission's rules, are operated by 
private and public carriers to provide telephone, television, data, and 
other forms of communications. Included in this category are telemetry, 
tracking and control (TT&C) earth stations, and earth station uplinks. 
For FY 1999, licensees of VSATs, Mobile Satellite Earth Stations, and 
Fixed-Satellite Transmit/Receive and Transmit-Only Earth Stations will 
pay a fee of $180 per authorization or registration as well as a 
separate fee of $180 for each associated Hub Station.
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    \165\ Mobile earth stations are hand-held or vehicle-based units 
capable of operation while the operator or vehicle is in motion. In 
contrast, transportable units are moved to a fixed location and 
operate in a stationary (fixed) mode. Both are assessed the same 
regulatory fee for FY 1999.
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    35. Receive-only earth stations. For FY 1999, there is no 
regulatory fee for receive-only earth stations.
b. Space Stations (Geostationary Orbit)
    36. Geostationary Orbit (also referred to as Geosynchronous) Space 
Stations are domestic and international satellites positioned in orbit 
to remain approximately fixed relative to the earth. Most are 
authorized under part 25 of the Commission's rules to provide 
communications between satellites and earth stations on a common 
carrier and/or private carrier basis. In addition, this category 
includes Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) Service which includes space 
stations authorized under part 100 of the Commission's rules to 
transmit or re-transmit signals for direct reception by the general 
public encompassing both individual and community reception. For FY 
1999, entities authorized to operate geostationary space stations 
(including DBS satellites) will be assessed an annual regulatory fee of 
$130,225 per operational station in orbit. Payment is required for any 
geostationary satellite that has been launched and tested and is 
authorized to provide service.
c. Space Stations (Non-Geostationary Orbit)
    37. Non-Geostationary Orbit Systems (such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) 
Systems) are space stations that orbit the earth in non-geosynchronous 
orbit. They are authorized under part 25 of the Commission's rules to 
provide communications between satellites and earth stations on a 
common carrier and/or private carrier basis. For FY 1999, entities 
authorized to operate Non-Geostationary Orbit Systems (NGSOs) will be 
assessed an annual regulatory fee of $180,325 per operational system in 
orbit. Payment is required for any NGSO System that has one or more 
operational satellites operational. In our FY 1997 Report and Order at 
paragraph 75 we retained our requirement that licensees of LEOs pay the 
LEO regulatory fee upon their certification of operation of a single 
satellite pursuant to section 25.120(d). We require payment of this fee 
following commencement of operations of a system's first satellite to 
insure that we recover our regulatory costs related to LEO systems from 
licensees of these systems as early as possible so that other 
regulatees are not burdened with these costs any longer than necessary. 
Because section 25.120(d) has significant implications beyond 
regulatory fees (such as whether the entire planned cluster is 
operational in accordance with the terms and conditions of the license) 
we are clarifying our current definition of an operational LEO 
satellite to prevent misinterpretation of our intent as follows:

    Licensees of Non-Geostationary Satellite Systems (such as LEOs) 
are assessed a regulatory fee upon the commencement of operation of 
a system's first satellite as reported annually pursuant to sections 
25.142(c), 25.143(e), 25.145(g), or upon certification of operation 
of a single satellite pursuant to section 25.120(d).
d. International Bearer Circuits
    38. Regulatory fees for International Bearer Circuits are to be 
paid by facilities-based common carriers (either domestic or 
international) activating the circuit in any transmission facility for 
the provision of service to an end user or resale carrier. Payment of 
the fee for bearer circuits by non-common carrier submarine cable 
operators is required for circuits sold on an indefeasible right of use 
(IRU) basis or leased to any customer, including themselves or their 
affiliates, other than an international common carrier authorized by 
the Commission to provide U.S. international common carrier services. 
Compare FY 1994 Report and Order at 5367. Payment of the international 
bearer circuit fee is also required by non-common carrier satellite 
operators for circuits sold or leased to any customer, including 
themselves or their affiliates, other than an international common 
carrier authorized by the Commission to provide U.S. international 
common carrier services. The fee is based upon active 64 kbps circuits, 
or equivalent circuits. Under this formulation, 64 kbps circuits or 
their equivalent will be assessed a fee. Equivalent circuits include 
the 64 kbps circuit equivalent of larger bit stream

[[Page 16687]]

circuits. For example, the 64 kbps circuit equivalent of a 2.048 Mbps 
circuit is 30 64 kbps circuits. Analog circuits such as 3 and 4 kHz 
circuits used for international service are also included as 64 kbps 
circuits. However, circuits derived from 64 kbps circuits by the use of 
digital circuit multiplication systems are not equivalent 64 kbps 
circuits. Such circuits are not subject to fees. Only the 64 kbps 
circuit from which they have been derived will be subject to payment of 
a fee. For FY 1999, the regulatory fee is $7.00 for each active 64 kbps 
circuit or equivalent. For analog television channels we will assess 
fees as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              No. of
          Analog television channel Size in MHz            equivalent 64
                                                           kbps circuits
------------------------------------------------------------------------
36......................................................             630
24......................................................             288
18......................................................             240
------------------------------------------------------------------------

e. International Public Fixed
    39. This fee category includes common carriers authorized under 
part 23 of the Commission's rules to provide radio communications 
between the United States and a foreign point via microwave or HF 
troposcatter systems, other than satellites and satellite earth 
stations, but not including service between the United States and 
Mexico and the United States and Canada using frequencies above 72 MHz. 
For FY 1999, International Public Fixed Radio Service licensees will 
pay a $410 annual regulatory fee per call sign.
f. International (HF) Broadcast
    40. This category covers International Broadcast Stations licensed 
under part 73 of the Commission's rules to operate on frequencies in 
the 5,950 kHz to 26,100 kHz range to provide service to the general 
public in foreign countries. For FY 1999, International HF Broadcast 
Stations will pay an annual regulatory fee of $520 per station license.
    Authorization of Service: The authorization or licensing of radio 
stations, telecommunications equipment, and radio operators, as well as 
the authorization of common carrier and other services and facilities. 
Includes policy direction, program development, legal services, and 
executive direction, as well as support services associated with 
authorization activities.166
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    \166\ Although Authorization of Service is described in this 
exhibit, it is not one of the activities included as a feeable 
activity for regulatory fee purposes pursuant to section 9(a)(1) of 
the Act. 47 U.S.C. 159(a)(1).
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    Policy and Rulemaking: Formal inquiries, rulemaking proceedings to 
establish or amend the Commission's rules and regulations, action on 
petitions for rulemaking, and requests for rule interpretations or 
waivers; economic studies and analyses; spectrum planning, modeling, 
propagation-interference analyses, and allocation; and development of 
equipment standards. Includes policy direction, program development, 
legal services, and executive direction, as well as support services 
associated with policy and rulemaking activities.
    Enforcement: Enforcement of the Commission's rules, regulations and 
authorizations, including investigations, inspections, compliance 
monitoring, and sanctions of all types. Also includes the receipt and 
disposition of formal and informal complaints regarding common carrier 
rates and services, the review and acceptance/rejection of carrier 
tariffs, and the review, prescription and audit of carrier accounting 
practices. Includes policy direction, program development, legal 
services, and executive direction, as well as support services 
associated with enforcement activities.
    Public Information Services: The publication and dissemination of 
Commission decisions and actions, and related activities; public 
reference and library services; the duplication and dissemination of 
Commission records and databases; the receipt and disposition of public 
inquiries; consumer, small business, and public assistance; and public 
affairs and media relations. Includes policy direction, program 
development, legal services, and executive direction, as well as 
support services associated with public information activities.

Attachment H--Factors, measurements and calculations that go into 
determining station signal contours and associated population 
coverages

    AM Stations: Specific information on each day tower, including 
field ratio, phasing, spacing and orientation was retrieved, as well as 
the theoretical pattern RMS figure (mV/m @ 1 km) for the antenna 
system. The standard, or modified standard if pertinent, horizontal 
plane radiation pattern was calculated using techniques and methods 
specified in sections 73.150 and 73.152 of the Commission's 
rules.167 Radiation values were calculated for each of 72 
radials around the transmitter site (every 5 degrees of azimuth). Next, 
estimated soil conductivity data was retrieved from a database 
representing the information in FCC Figure M3. Using the calculated 
horizontal radiation values, and the retrieved soil conductivity data, 
the distance to the city grade (5 mV/m) contour was predicted for each 
of the 72 radials. The resulting distance to city grade contours were 
used to form a geographical polygon. Population counting was 
accomplished by determining which 1990 block centroids were contained 
in the polygon. The sum of the population figures for all enclosed 
blocks represents the total population for the predicted city grade 
coverage area.
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    \167\ 47 U.S.C. 73.150 and 73.152.
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    FM Stations: The maximum of the horizontal and vertical HAAT (m) 
and ERP (kW) was used. Where the antenna HAMSL was available, it was 
used in lieu of the overall HAAT figure to calculate specific HAAT 
figures for each of 72 radials under study. Any available directional 
pattern information was applied as well, to produce a radial-specific 
ERP figure. The HAAT and ERP figures were used in conjunction with the 
propagation curves specified in section 73.313 of the Commission's 
rules to predict the distance to the city grade (70 dBuV/m or 3.17 mV/
m) contour for each of the 72 radials.168 The resulting 
distance to city grade contours were used to form a geographical 
polygon. Population counting was accomplished by determining which 1990 
block centroids were contained in the polygon. The sum of the 
population figures for all enclosed blocks represents the total 
population for the predicted city grade coverage area.

    \168\ 47 U.S.C. 73.313.
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[FR Doc. 99-8342 Filed 4-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P