FCC set to auction 16 700 MHz licenses in 2011

The Federal Communications Commission is planning to auction 16 licenses for 700 MHz spectrum next July 19. The licenses previously were offered in Auction 73, but were either not sold or the winning bidder defaulted on the payments. Based on proposed minimum bid prices, the agency expects the auction to raise a minimum of $1.42 million. 2008's Auction 73 raised more than $19 billion, netting AT&T Mobility and Verizon Wireless nationwide 700 MHz channels, which the nation's two largest carriers are now building out. Indeed, VZW turned on its 700 MHz spectrum earlier this month. Two of the licenses are 12-megahertz (2 by 6 megahertz) in the A block, (698 MHz-704 MHz, 728 MHz-734 MHz) and 14 are in the B block (704 MHz-710 MHz, 734 MHz-740 MHz). The FCC filed a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking around the auction. Comments are due Jan. 12 and reply comments are due Jan. 27.