Richard Cameron advises clients in the broadband, communications, and technology sectors on competition, regulatory, transactional, and commercial issues. He has over 30 years of experience, including roles as a senior federal government official, senior attorney with an Am Law 10 international law firm, in-house counsel at a U.S. telecommunications carrier, and the owner of an independent legal practice for over a decade. He uses this multifaceted perspective to create innovative and practical solutions to difficult issues that satisfy legal and regulatory requirements while advancing his clients’ business priorities.
At the Federal Communications Commission, Richard played a leading role in implementing the Telecommunications Act of 1996, establishing rules, policy, and compliance requirements governing telecommunications and broadband competition and intercarrier compensation. He served as legal counsel to two FCC Bureau Chiefs and as Federal Staff Chair of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, working to develop the explicit universal service support mechanisms (high cost, low income, E-Rate, and rural health care) that continue to form the foundation of today’s broadband deployment and affordability frameworks.
Richard uses this experience to counsel clients concerning high-cost broadband deployment and affordability mechanisms, such as the Connect America Fund (CAF and ACAM) and Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF), as well as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF). He advocates for policies that shape future broadband support mechanisms and contribution reforms to spread the costs more equitably. Richard also counsels universal service support recipients who have been denied funding or are undergoing Universal Service Administrative Company audits and investigations, such as under the Beneficiary and Contributor Audit Program (BCAP), as well as universal service contributors on Form 499 filing and contribution requirements. He represents clients in responding to USAC information requests and has filed numerous appeals of USAC funding denials and program compliance determinations.
At the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Richard developed policy, compliance, and reporting requirements for the $4.7 billion Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), leading a team of attorneys that provided compliance advice to BTOP Federal Program Officers managing over 200 projects. He also presented on federal grant compliance best practices and training matters at national BTOP conferences and workshops.
Richard presents regularly on federal grant compliance and universal service issues, including recently at the 2022 BICSI Fall Conference and Exhibition on the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and other broadband funding opportunities created under COVID-era legislation, such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.
Richard also advises satellite and earth station operators active in the recent C-band spectrum transition and concerning a variety of US blanket- and site-specific earth station licensing matters.
His clients value his extensive experience with technology and telecommunications regulation, competition, universal service, regulatory compliance, satellite market access, spectrum licensing issues, and the rules governing federal grant awards and other financial assistance programs.
