AWS Auction

Recommendation #34

FCC Chapter: 5.8.3

Status: Started

The Federal Communications Commission should make up to 60 megahertz available by auctioning Advanced Wireless Services (AWS ) bands, including, if possible, 20 megahertz from federal allocations.

The FCC should move expeditiously to resolve the future of the spectrum already allocated for AWS. The AWS-2 and AWS-3 allocations consist of the following bands:

1. AWS-2 "H" Block. Total of 10 megahertz at 1915-1920 MHz paired with 1995-2000 MHz.
2. AWS-2 "J" Block. Total of 10 megahertz at 2020-2025 MHz paired with 2175-2180 MHz.
3. AWS-3 Band. Twenty megahertz unpaired at 2155-2175 MHz.

NTIA, in consultation with the FCC, should conduct an analysis, to be completed by October 1, 2010, of the possibility
of reallocating a portion of the 1755-1850 MHz band to
pair with the AWS-3 band.

If there is a strong possibility of reallocating federal spectrum to pair with the AWS-3 band, the FCC, in consultation with NTIA, should immediately commence reallocation proceedings for the combined band. If, at the end of this inquiry, there is not a strong possibility of reallocation of federal spectrum, the FCC should proceed promptly to adopt final rules in 2010 and auction the AWS-3 spectrum on a stand-alone basis in 2011.

The AWS-2 "J" block also has potential synergies with AWS-3 and with the adjacent MSS S-Band. If developments in those other bands warrant, the FCC should integrate the J Block into one or the other of the band plans in order to maximize the broadband potential of the spectrum. For example, it may make sense to group the J Block with contiguous S-Band spectrum if the AWS-3 band is paired with federal spectrum, or to group the J Block with the AWS-3 band if there is no reallocation of federal spectrum.