To increase the minimum annual regulatory assessment fees that regulated telecommunications companies pay the Commission.

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
Departmental

RULE NO: RULE TITLE
25-4.0161: Regulatory Assessment Fees; Telecommunications Companies
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To increase the minimum annual regulatory assessment fees that regulated telecommunications companies pay the Commission.
SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Minimum regulatory assessment fees for telecommunications companies.
SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: 350.127(2) FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 350.113, 364.285, 364.336 FS.
A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: Thursday, November 9, 2006, 9:30 a.m.
PLACE: Betty Easley Conference Center, Room 140, 4075 Esplanade Way, Tallahassee, Florida
Any person requiring some accommodation at this workshop because of a physical impairment should call the Division of the Commission Clerk and Administrative Services at [phone] at least 48 hours prior to the hearing. Any person who is hearing or speech impaired should contact the Florida Public Service Commission by using the Florida Relay Service, which can be reached at: 1(800)955-8771 (TDD).
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, IF AVAILABLE, IS: Ray Kennedy, Florida Public Service Commission, 2540 Shumard Oak Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-0862, [phone]

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS:

25-4.0161 Regulatory Assessment Fees; Telecommunications Companies.

(1) As applicable and as provided in Sections 350.113, 364.02(13) and 364.336, F.S., each company shall remit a fee based upon its gross operating revenue as provided below. This fee shall be referred to as a regulatory assessment fee, and each company shall pay a regulatory assessment fee in the amount of 0.0020 of its gross operating revenues derived from intrastate business. For the purpose of determining this fee, each telecommunications company shall deduct from gross operating revenues any amount paid to another telecommunications company for the use of any telecommunications network to provide service to its customers. Regardless of the gross operating revenue of a company, a minimum annual regulatory assessment fee of $50 shall be imposed as follows:

(a) Local Exchange Company – $1,000;

(b) Pay Telephone Service Provider – $100;

(c) Shared Tenant Service Provider – $100;

(d) Interexchange Company – $700;

(e) Alternative Access Vendor – $600;

(f) Competitive Local Exchange company – $600.

(2) through (3) No change.

(4) Commission Form PSC/CMP 25 (xx/xx 01/05), entitled “Local Exchange Company Regulatory Assessment Fee Return”; Form PSC/CMP 26 (xx/xx 01/05), entitled “Pay Telephone Service Provider Regulatory Assessment Fee Return”; Form PSC/CMP 34 (xx/xx 01/05), entitled “Shared Tenant Service Provider Regulatory Assessment Fee Return”; Form PSC/CMP 153 (xx/xx 01/05), entitled “Interexchange Company Regulatory Assessment Fee Return”; Form PSC/CMP 1 (xx/xx 01/05), entitled “Alternative Access Vendor Regulatory Assessment Fee Return”; and Form PSC/CMP 7 (xx/xx 01/05), entitled “Competitive Local Exchange Company Regulatory Assessment Fee Return” are incorporated into this rule by reference and may be obtained from the Commission’s Division of the Commission Clerk and Administrative Services.

(5) through (13) No change.

Specific Authority 350.127(2) FS. Law Implemented 350.113, 364.285, 364.336 FS. History–New 5-18-83, Formerly 25-4.161, Amended 10-19-86, 1-1-91, 12-29-91, 1-8-95, 12-26-95, 7-7-96, 11-11-99, 12-7-04, 10-6-05,_________.