Cinnamon Mueller Client Updates

 

FCC Sets Fiscal Year 2016 Regulatory Fees; Regulatory Fee Payments Due by 11:59 PM EDT on September 27, 2016

On September 2, 2016, the FCC released an Order establishing its Fiscal Year 2016 Regulatory Fees.  Regulatory fee payments must be made no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on September 27, 2016.  All licensees must use their FRN and password to access the Fee Filer System, and review, create, update, or change the fees owed. 

  • 2016 Cable/IPTV regulatory fee:  Cable systems (including IPTV systems) that had subscribers as of December 31, 2015 must pay $1.00 per subscriber, a $0.04 increase from 2015. 
  • CARS licenses and permits:  CARS facilities operating on October 1, 2015 must pay $775.00, a $155 increase from 2015, even if the facility’s license expired after October 1, 2015. 
  • Interconnected VoIP regulatory fee:  $0.00371 for each dollar of interstate and international telecommunications revenue that a provider reports on its Form 499-A. 

This year, the FCC has set the DBS provider per-subscriber regulatory fee at $0.27, more than double last year’s $0.12 fee level, which was the first time that the FCC concluded that DirecTV and DISH should be included as a sub-category of payors to the “Cable and IPTV” fee category. 

Entities whose total regulatory fee liability, including all categories of fees for which payment is due, is $500 or less are exempt from payment.  Municipal providers and providers that qualify as non-profit entities are also exempt from regulatory fees.

If you have any questions about regulatory fee payments, please contact Scott Friedman at (312) 372-3930 or sfriedman@cinnamonmueller.com.