JON TESTER SENATS HART BUILDING MONTANA Sune 311 WASHINGTON, DC 20510 COMMITl'US: 202- 224-2644 APPROPRIATIONS INTtANtT: BANKING tester.senate.gov:contsct COM MERCE itlnittd ~tatts ~(TIQtf 385 INOIAN AFFAIRS VETERANS' AFFAIRS May 11, 2018 Chairman Ajit Pai Federal Communications Commission 445 Twelfth Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Ajit Pai: I write today regarding concerns about a new burdensome fee on rural commercial broadcac;t businesses. I appreciate the FCC's interest in surveying the C Band Satellite service for increased mobile broadband data services. I would encourage you to work with commercial broadcast businesses to find a reasonable way to protect rural stations from having to pay the filing fee associated with the registration process. A fee of $435 will have a real impact on stations that do business in rural states like Montana. The FCC recently issued a public notice regarding a 90-day window encouraging all commercial broadcast services delivered through the C Band Satellite service to register their downlinks. It is my understanding that this registration usually requires a frequency coordination study that costs $1,500. I have heard concerns that while this larger fee has been waived, it is possible the FCC will ask for payment at a later date. I strongly oppose such a decision. Additionally, Montanans have contacted me with concerns over the $435 filing fee. These rural businesses are not directly benefitting from the FCC's review of the C Band Satellite service making this fee tougher to accept. I would encourage you to find a way to hold these rural businesses harmless during your review. I supported your nomination in large part because of your understanding of the challenges of doing business in rural America. These television, radio and cable stations provide important services to their communities and support jobs in rural towns all across the country. Thank you to your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response. Sin~..-~~~- Jon Tester BOZEMAN BUTIE GLENDIVE GREAT FALLS HELENA l<ALISPEU. (406) 586-4450 (406) 723- 3277 (406) 365-2391 (406) 452- 9585 (406) 449-5401 (406) 257-3360 BILLINGS MISSOULA (406) 252- 0550 (406) 728-3003