One of the FCC’s key Commissioners, Michael O’Rielly, last week delivered a strong message that appears to be supportive of the C-Band Alliance’s plans for restructuring satellite bandwidth over the U.S.

According to the posting by journalist Chris Forrester at the Advanced Television infosite, the comments appeared to be favorable.

Journalist
Chris Forrester.

“I am cautiously optimistic on what I have been hearing regarding the C-band, different conversations occurring, internal and external, and conversations I have had. I have found the process has a little momentum than maybe it had in the past. I think that is a good thing. Parties are trying to work things out rather than get their backs up. I think that is generally productive and I am hopeful it will lead to a conclusion in the very near future to get us to the point when we could then auction depending on how the issues are designed,” said O’Rielly.

“As I said before, I think the decision to reallocate the C-band is pretty much concluded. Pretty much everyone agrees we are going to reallocate a portion of that. It becomes a question of how much, when and what is the mechanism. I think those conversations are continuing,” he added.