WASHINGTON-The Federal Communications Commission June 7 announced it will auction 2,499 licenses for paging services on Dec. 7. The licenses are in the upper bands (929-930 MHz and 931-932 MHz). There are approximately 14,000 licenses in the lower bands that will be auctioned at a later date.
When the FCC announced it was going forward with the paging auctions, the Personal Communications Industry Association expressed some concern it was slated to happen before the end of the year, but PCIA took a more positive posture after the Dec. 7 date was announced.
“The general consensus is that the carriers are encouraged that the FCC is moving forward … many carriers will now be able to move forward with their spectrum management plans,” said Eddie Gleason, PCIA director of government relations.
The commission made the date for the paging upper bands auction public in a broad notice that sought comments on a variety of issues, including setting the minimum bid at $.001 x pops and the upfront payment formula at $.0008 x pop. Both amounts are to be rounded to the nearest hundred for levels below $10,000 and rounded to the nearest thousand for levels above $10,000.
There are still a number of pending federal court cases examining whether the FCC should auction off paging licenses when so many areas are heavily encumbered. These cases had been on hold while the FCC reconsidered its original decision. The FCC’s decision to go forward with the auctions allows the cases to proceed.
