NAB Seeks Changes to USF FTE Allocation

The FCC should reclassify as direct full-time equivalents the Wireline Bureau indirect FTEs who work on non-high cost USF programs, said NAB in calls last week with aides to Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Nathan Simington and Brendan Carr, said an ex parte filing posted Monday in docket 22-301. Doing so “is both administrable and better reflects the work performed and the benefits provided to fee payors by the Commission’s activities,” said the filing. The result “would be consistent with the FCC’s treatment of many other FTE categories and would certainly be more accurate than one which requires broadcasters to pay significantly more in regulatory fees,” NAB said. The filing also praised the FCC’s proposal to shift the way it calculates how FTEs are assigned to bureaus (see 2305110064), and urged the agency to do regular reassessments of how FTEs are allocated. A draft regulatory fee order has been circulated to 10th-floor offices, according to the agency’s circulation webpage.