700 MHz: E Block continues to draw attention

Attention again centered on B-Block licenses as the Federal Communication Commission’s 700 MHz spectrum auction slogged on.
B-Block licenses received 45, 47 and 48 new bids in today’s first three rounds, as the auction’s total potential winning bid amount rose to $19.467 billion. Overall activity was down slightly from Friday’s action, when the first three rounds received 90, 89 and 93 new bids.
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E-Block licenses once again attracted the highest new bids and accounted for most of the increase in total potential winning bids. The E Block drew $9.3 million in new bids over rounds 82, 83 and 84; B-Block licenses accounted for $2.3 million in new bids.
Today’s action failed to attract attention in the seven licenses yet to see a single bid, however. No bids have been received for licenses covering Bismarck, Grand Forks and Fargo, N.D., as well as licenses in portions of Virginia, North and South Carolina and Louisiana.
The FCC has yet to announce any quickening of bidding rounds; the commission has held six rounds per day since Feb. 8.