FCC postpones two incentive auction items from July agenda

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler decided to pull two of three items from the agenda of the FCC July meeting on various broadcast incentive auction procedures and rules. Chairman Wheeler pulled the auction procedures item and the item on mobile spectrum holdings addressing how much spectrum will be set aside for bidding by smaller wireless carriers. Remaining on the agenda is the item addressing how auction discounts would be given to small and minority-owned companies, an item precipitated by Dish’s relationship to two small wireless bidders in the AWS-3 auction.

here was plenty of reason to believe Chairman Wheeler might pull the first item after House commerce leaders and broadcasters complained that the FCC departed from standard procedures when it released last-minute data on July 10 and extended the sunshine period for presentations on the item until 7 p.m. before the meeting. But no one was expecting Chairman Wheeler to pull the second item, which would determine how much spectrum should be set aside for bidding by smaller wireless carriers, a cause celebre for T-Mobile, which led the cry for the FCC to increase the reserve from 30 MHz to 40 MHz. Both items will be taken up three weeks later at the FCC’s August 6 meeting.