FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly

Remarks of Commissioner O'Rielly Before the ACA International Washington Insights Conference

Speaking in defense of credit and collection professionals probably isn’t the politically savviest or safest move.  I am here to join with [ACA International] as your members continue to face untenable legal risk and uncertainty in your efforts to reach out to borrowers. Now, more than ever, it’s crucial that we get the rulemaking done, and ensure that honest businesses can call their customers without being threatened by bankruptcy. Repeat after me: “robocall” is not a bad word.

Remarks of Commissioner O'Rielly Before the Daniel Morgan Graduate School of National Security

My intention today is to outline the most recent actions of the Federal Communications Commission pertaining to the protection of US national security, identify the difficult position in which we find ourselves with regard to Chinese telecommunications providers and manufacturers, and raise certain concerns with respect to the operations of the International Telecommunication Union, or the ITU as it is more commonly known.

Substantive Objections to a Government 5G Wholesale Network

Over the last few months, various ideas have been floated about the offering of 5G wireless services via a government-sponsored network.  This entire effort seems convoluted and borders on the preposterous.  Just the notion of the U.S.

Commissioner O'Rielly Remarks Before the CBRS Alliance

While there was a great need for more spectrum for advanced wireless systems, finding unencumbered frequencies has always been a long-standing battle. Thankfully, then came along the innovation of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) framework and requisite technology. [March's] announcement that you are working on 5G CBRS specifications, called CBRS Alliance Release 3, proved a lot of people wrong.

Commissioner O'Rielly Remarks before the Brooklyn 5G Summit 2019

The future success of 5G is dependent, first, on those in the right positions — be it the private wireless sector, their financial backers, or those of us in government — ensuring ample resources are available for it to flourish. From a regulator’s perspective, this includes clearing and reallocating spectrum, especially in the mid bands, where the technology can operate. Second, it also means addressing any challenges posed by both foreign governments and providers who may have malicious intent.

Commissioner O'Rielly Remarks at NTCA Legislative & Policy Conference

It seems only appropriate to take this opportunity to discuss my involvement in just some of the substantive Federal Communications Commission issues that NTCA - The Rural Broadband Association and its members have cared deeply about:

Commissioner O'Rielly Remarks Before the Disability Advisory Committee

The costs to American consumers for the collection of disability-related programs is growing at a fairly aggressive and unsustainable rate. Accordingly, the Disability Advisory Committee can play an important role, and I believe has an obligation, to help the Commission contain costs. I strongly believe that we need to move away from specialized services with proprietary equipment and towards increased use and adoption of modern communications technology to serve the most vulnerable populations. This means more use of email, text, video chat, real time text, and the like.

FCC Commissioner O'Rielly at Wireless Connect 2019

The one principle that anyone engaged in wireless issues knows is that we cannot take time for granted.

A Needed USF Budgetary Cap

The Federal Communications Commission recently chose thoughtful and sensible policy reform when an item was circulated to Commissioners to begin a rulemaking that would establish a much-needed and overdue budget for the agency’s Universal Service Fund (USF).  Against the backdrop of special interest groups and uninformed detractors reflexively opposed to any restraint on the agency’s redistributive subsidies, I am proud to lead this effort to inject more fiscal responsibility into the USF. Hardly a revolutionary idea, budgets are precisely what American families and businesses rely on to ma

FCC Commissioner O'Rielly Remarks Before NAB State Leadership Conference

Quadrennial Review: The Commission may have to acknowledge that the current media marketplace can no longer be defined solely by traditional media voices stovepiped into discrete categories, such as television and radio. If done properly, this action will allow the Commission to jettison its myopic vision that broadcasters experience little competition in favor of one that recognizes the fulsome competitive forces in the current marketplace. 

Further Improving the FCC's Procedures

To help take the next leap towards a more efficient, accountable, and transparent Federal Communications Commission, I have scoured previous proposals, spoken to interested parties, and considered my own personal experiences, and have prepared a list of ideas designed to improve the Commission's processes for our licensees, practitioners, Commissioners, and, most importantly, American consumers. It's now time to publicly release these medium, small, and tiny, mostly non-mutually exclusive ideas, and have each produce feedback on its merits or pitfalls.

Muni Broadband’s Ominous Threat to the First Amendment

As a staunch supporter of limited government and free speech, I have regularly objected to government attempts to own and control the nation’s communications networks. I have been a staunch critic of government projects to build and operate broadband networks. Beyond flirting with a perverse form of socialism, municipalities’ overbuilding of private providers creates market inefficiencies, distorts competitive outcomes, encourages regulatory favoritism towards state-owned networks, and can be a waste of taxpayer money. Even in instances where municipal, or muni, broadband reaches unserved a

Status Update: Fixing 9-1-1 Fee Diversion

It's now been almost ten months since my colleague, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, and I penned an op-ed in The Hill reaffirming the need to end states' diversion of critical 9-1-1 fees collected from consumers to non-9-1-1 functions.

Commissioner O'Rielly Remarks to Build Smart Cities of Tomorrow

Several elements involved in the deployment of Smart Cities rely on Federal Communications Commission activity or involvement. Let’s explore some of the policy issues and discussions that may be necessary to make Smart Cities happen in the near term.

Remarks of Commissioner O'Rielly at the 2018 Kentucky Broadcasters Association Conference

As many of you know, since Chairman Ajit Pai took the helm at the Federal Communications Commission, the Commission has been focused on eliminating archaic regulations that no longer make sense. These actions have taken many shapes, from eliminating the main studio rule to eradicating duplicative or non-useful forms at the Commission. In the coming months, I hope that we can bring to order many of these proceedings that we launched in 2017 and earlier in 2018.

Remarks of Commissioner O'Rielly before the Americas Spectrum Management Conference

I have been asked to discuss the Citizens Band Radio Service (CBRS). The timing of this event is indeed fortuitous, because the draft order on this exact issue will be considered at the Oct Federal Communications Commission meeting and its text is being posted Oct 2.  I am fortunate that FCC Chairman Pai entrusted me with such a challenging and important project. Over the last many months, I employed sound regulatory principles to guide my review of the band. To put it mildly, there is a lot of interest in this spectrum, and there are many divergent and passionate opinions.

Commissioner O'Rielly CBRS R&O Fact Sheet: Fixing the Rules to Enable Mid-Band 5G

The Federal Communications Commission will consider an item at its next Open Meeting to revise its existing rules governing the Citizens Band Radio Services (CBRS), which will utilize spectrum between 3.55 to 3.70 GHz. In doing so, the focus will be on correcting policy mistakes made pertaining to the Priority Access Licenses (PALs) back when rules were adopted in April 2015 and May 2016.

Commissioner O'Rielly statement on California Net Neutrality Law and DOJ Intervention

While not surprising, California’s net neutrality effort reaffirms its leaders’ total lack of understanding of how technology or our economy actually works, particularly its ban on paid prioritization. If allowed to stand, the law would be incredibly detrimental to American consumers and the continued growth of the Internet.

Commissioner O'Rielly Remarks Before the 2018 Radio Show

Thank you for the opportunity to join your esteemed industry in Orlando (FL) to discuss radio policy issues. As we head into our next Quadrennial Review, more work remains, which I would like to spend my time discussing with you today:

Commissioner O'Rielly Letter to RUS re: Broadband e-Connectivity Pilot Program

The Rural Utilities Service has sought comment on identifying rural areas eligible for funding, and specifically, how to evaluate whether an area already has "sufficient access" to broadband, and how to very broadband availability data in a proposed service area. In response to this Notice of Inquiry, I respectfully offer some guidance based on my experience from working on the Federal Communications Commission's efforts to connect rural and remote parts of the country. 

Commissioner O'Rielly Statement on Sinclair/Tribune Hearing Designation Order

As an initial matter, I largely refrain from discussing adjudicatory proceedings. However, since it appears that the document has been provided to the press by someone, I believe comment is warranted. In general, I have long stated that parties to merger applications are entitled to an answer from the Commission and have expressed deep objections to blindly sending decisions to the Commission’s Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

FCC Commissioner O'Rielly Letter to Assistant US Attorney for Guam on 911 Fee Diversion

On July 6, 2018, Federal Communications Commissioner Michael O'Rielly wrote to Mikel Schwab, Civil Chief, Assitant US Attorney for the Department of Justice in the Districts of Guam & the NMI, regarding 911 Fee Diversion.

A Solid Process and Proposal to Update Kid Vid

[Commentary] Congress passed the 1990 Children’s Television Act to tie broadcast-license renewals, the main asset of a local station, with a fairly general obligation to air educational and informational programming for children. Over the years, the Federal Communications Commission has imposed multiple rounds of added burdens on broadcasters under the premise of implementing the law.

Commissioner O'Rielly's FCC Process Reform Remarks Before the Free State Foundation

I have approximately 50 ideas – both old and new – on Federal Communications Commission process reform.