Get ready to hear more ringing phones in the customer service department as mutual fund shareholders read again about fees. The WSJ reports that investors are focusing in on fund fees, which is something that would be important to fund executives.

In the article Eleanor Laise cites a Morningstar study that found that fees stayed level in 2007 after falling for three consecutive years. Laise then goes into how lower fees can make a difference for investors.

The SEC's quest to modify the 12b-1 fee is also thrown into the article for good measure.

The article also asks the question of whether fund fees will rise after the cuts mandated by Eliot Spitzer in the wake of the fund scandals expire in the near term. Laise points out that settlements covering fees at both Janus and MFS run out over the next 12 months.

What that means is anyone's guess. If the Spitzer-driven fee reduction mark an artificial effort, look for fees to begin to edge back up after the expirations. If fees stay the same or fall fund executives must be feeling market place pressures. 

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