ALEXANDRIA, Va.-The Personal Communications Industry Association last week challenged unexplained regulatory fee increases, claiming the fees will hinder competition between wireless and wireline services.
PCIA argued the Federal Communications Commission has denied wireless, local exchange and interexchange carriers; and television stations and private radio services the data upon which the fees were calculated. PCIA urged the commission to fully disclose the data and re-examine its regulatory fee calculations for fiscal 1998.
The FCC has proposed fee increases for commercial mobile radio and messaging services. The fee calculations for commercial mobile radio messaging included a 579-percent increase from fiscal year 1997 for adjusted regulatory costs, according to PCIA. Meanwhile, fees for LECs and IXCs have decreased, the industry organization said.
“When it comes to competition, the FCC talks the talk, but its regulatory-fee structure keeps it from walking the walk,” said Jay Kitchen, president of PCIA. “Taxes on the wireless industry already are excessive. The FCC should be taking steps to reduce that burden, not finding new ways to make it grow.”
