700MHz auction: FCC decision coming on public safety block

700MHZ AUCTION: FCC DECISION COMING ON PUBLIC SAFETY BLOCK
[SOURCE: InfoWorld, AUTHOR: Grant Gross]
The Federal Communications Commission closed its auction of 700MHz spectrum late Tuesday, but it faces a major decision on what to do with a block of spectrum designated for use by public safety agencies that did not meet the minimum bidding requirements. high bid for the so-called D block, a 10MHz band of spectrum that would have been paired with another 10MHz assigned to public safety agencies, was only $472 million, far short of the $1.33 billion reserve price set by the FCC. Until the FCC decides what next to do with the D block, it won't announce the winners of the rest of the spectrum, a source at the FCC said. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has proposed that commissioners "de-link" the D block from the rest of the spectrum, allowing the FCC to make new rules for the sale of the public safety block, the source said. The FCC does not yet have a timeframe for the decision on whether to de-link the D block. The FCC required that the winning D block bidder build a nationwide voice and data network to be shared among commercial users and public safety agencies such as police and fire departments. But several of the rules attached to the D block raised objections, including a requirement that the winning bidder would have to give up millions of dollars in a deposit if it couldn't come to an agreement on network design with the Public Safety Spectrum Trust, which controls the public safety spectrum. The winner of the D block would also have had to spend billions of dollars to build a nationwide wireless network that could handle both voice and data traffic.
http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/03/19/700MHz-auction-FCC-decision-co...

* Questions about Block D linger in aftermath of auction
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080319-questions-about-block-d-li...

* Airwaves Bidders Await Word From FCC
[SOURCE: Associated Press, AUTHOR: John Dunbar]
A majority of the Federal Communications Commission is in favor of a measure that will allow for the quick release of the names of the winners of a record airwaves auction. The identity of the anonymous bidders in the $19.6 billion auction could be released early next week or perhaps as soon as Friday.
http://news.lp.findlaw.com/ap/a/w/1155//03-19-2008/20080319165006_04.html

* Quick 700 MHz Updates (Harold Feld)
http://www.wetmachine.com//item/1114