Wheeler Says FCC Can't Impose Deadlines on Team Telecom; O'Rielly Disagrees

of such deadlines, Wheeler acknowledged complaints that "Team Telecom" reviews take too long, but, according to an FCC transcript, he said "they are something that happens outside of our hands with the national security apparatus." Noting a recent NTIA letter wanting more information upfront from certain FCC applicants, Wheeler said the FCC would work to get information quickly to Team Telecom. "After Team Telecom, we normally act -- bam -- like that. But we'll try, and what can we do here to give Team Telecom the tools so that they can move faster but that's something that happens elsewhere." Pressed on the deadline issue, Wheeler responded, "We're the ones that went to Team Telecom to say, 'Hey guys, can we do more about this?' We can't set deadlines for other agencies." Commissioner Mike O'Rielly disagreed "a little bit" with Wheeler's deference to other agencies: "We're not obligated by statute to give them such latitude. We do have the right to impose deadlines as we see fit. So I'm hopeful we'll have some kind of process to address some of those concerns ... and not just the timelines but the opaqueness" of the reviews. Parties sometimes don't know what's happening on reviews or who they should call to find out, he said.