Statement of FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai On Sprint's Decision Not to Participate in the Incentive Auction

Sprint’s decision not to participate in the incentive auction highlights the folly of the Federal Communications Commission’s attempt to pick winners and losers before the auction begins. It also intensifies doubts about how competitive the bidding will be for set-aside spectrum and whether American taxpayers will receive fair compensation for that scarce public resource.

Sprint’s announcement only strengthens my belief that the FCC should not have granted a spectrum giveaway in this auction or placed artificial limits on carriers’ participation.