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Auction 14: Wireless Communications Service (WCS)

Summary

April 15, 1997 - April 25, 1997
Rounds:
29
Bidding Days:
9
Qualified Bidders:
24
Winning Bidders:
17 bidders won 126 licenses. 8 small business bidders won 32 licenses. 9 other bidders won 94 licenses.
Gross Bids:
$14,892,613
Net Bids:
$13,638,940
Charts Files
Summary of Round Results
All Markets
All Bidders
Maps & Band Plans
Major Economic Areas Map
Regional Economic Area Groupings Map
WCS & DARS
General Information

Auction Announcements
Auction Programs

4/28/1997
Winning Bidders
WCS Auction Closes, Winning Bidders in the Auction of 128 Wireless communications Service Licenses
This Public Notice provides information concerning winning bidders, down payments, FCC Form 600 filing requirements, and other licensing matters.
pdf - text 
Attachment A: xls
Attachment B: xls
Attachment C: xls

4/8/1997
Qualified Bidders
Auction of Wireless Communications Service (WCS), 23 Qualified Bidders
This Public Notice identifies the qualified bidders for the WCS auction. Twenty-three applicants qualified to bid in this auction. This Public Notice also contains bidding instructions and other information regarding the auction
pdf - text 
Attachment A: xls
Attachment B: xls
Attachment C: xls

3/27/1997
Status of Applications to Participate in WCS Auction
The Commission received forty-three FCC Form 175 applications to participate in Auction 14. Twenty-seven (27) were classified as accepted for filing and sixteen (16) were classified as incomplete.
pdf - text - WordPerfect
Attachment A: xls
Attachment B: xls

Procedures
Bidder Information Package
Bidder Information Package for Wireless Communications Service (WCS)
pdf
Form 175 Electronic Filing Software (A): zip
Form 175 Electronic Filing Software (B): zip
Form 175 Electronic Filing Software (C): zip

Fact Sheet

Date:

Auction 14 began on 4/15/1997 and closed on 4/25/1997.
Round 29 (See PN DA 97-886)

Licenses:
128 licenses. 2 licenses in each of 52 Major Economic Areas (MEAs)
2 licenses in each of 12 Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAGs)
(See the Major Economic Area (MEA) Map (pdf) and the Regional Economic Area Grouping (REAG) map (pdf))
Spectrum:

Block A: 2305-2310 MHz paired with 2350-2355 MHz
Block B: 2310-2315 MHz paired with 2355-2360 MHz
Block C: 2315-2320 MHzBlock D: 2345-2350 MHz

Bandwidth:
Block A & B - 10.0 MHz ea. in 52 MEAs
Block C & D - 5.0 MHz ea. in 12 REAGs
Total Bandwidth: 30.0 MHz (30,000 kHz)
See WCS & DARS Band Plan (pdf)
Winning Bidders:
17 bidders won 126 licenses. 8 small business bidders won 32 licenses. 9 other bidders won 94 licenses.
Rounds:
29
Qualified Bidders:
24
Licenses Won:
126
Total Licenses:
128
Net Bids:
$13,638,940
Gross Bids:
$14,892,613

 

This fact sheet includes:

Key Dates

EventDate
Form 175 (Short Form) Application Filing Deadline
3/25/1997; 5:30 pm ET
Upfront Payments Deadline
4/4/1997; 6:00 pm ET
Orders for Remote Bidding Software
4/4/1997; 5:30 pm ET
Mock Auction
4/10/1997
Auction Start
4/15/1997
Auction Closed
4/25/1997

Licenses Offered

A total of 128 WCS licenses were offered in this auction. Two licenses (Frequency Blocks "A" and "B"), each with a bandwidth of 10 MHz, in the 52 Major Economic Areas (MEA’s), and 2 licenses (Frequency Blocks "C" and "D"), each with a bandwidth of 5 MHz, in each of 12 Regional Economic Area Groupings (REAG’s).

Permissible Operations

The Wireless Communications Service (WCS) may be used for any fixed, mobile, radiolocation or broadcast-satellite (sound) use consistent with the international agreements concerning spectrum allocations, and subject to the technical rules of Part 27, Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

The Appropriations Act of 1997 directed the Commission to reallocate the use of the frequencies at 2305-2320 MHz and 2345-2360 MHz to wireless services, and to assign the use of these frequencies by competitive bidding. The Appropriations Act also required the Commission to commence the competitive bidding no later than April 15, 1997, and to ensure that all proceeds of the competitive bidding were deposited in the U.S. Treasury by September 30, 1997.

License Period and Construction Requirements

Licenses are issued for a ten-year term from the initial license grant date with a renewal expectancy similar to that afforded PCS and cellular licensees. Licensees are required to provide substantial service to their service areas within ten years. Licensees failing to demonstrate they are providing substantial service at the ten year period will be subject to forfeiture of their licenses.

Bidding Credits

A bidding credit acts as a discount on the winning bid amount that a bidder actually has to pay for the license. The size of the WCS bidding credit depends on the annual gross revenues of the bidder and its affiliates, as averaged over the preceding three years as defined in 47 C.F.R. § Section 27.210: 

These bidding credits are not cumulative.

Licensing Rules

Releases P

1/13/1999
PUBLIC NOTICE (FCC 99-2)
Comment Sought on Small Business Size Standards
This Public Notice seeks further comment on small business size standards adopted for the auction of Location and Monitoring Service and Wireless Communications Service spectrum.

4/28/1997
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 97-886)
WCS Auction Closes, Winning Bidders in the Auction of 128 Wireless communications Service Licenses
This Public Notice provides information concerning winning bidders, down payments, FCC Form 600 filing requirements, and other licensing matters.

4/10/1997
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 97-726)
Erratum to Public Notice DA 97-700 Announcing Qualified Bidders in the April 15, 1997, Wireless Communications Service ("WCS") Auction
This Public Notice makes two minor corrections to the April 8, 1997 Public Notice announcing the qualified bidders in the April 15, 1997 Wireless Communications Service auction. 

4/8/1997
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 97-700)
Auction of Wireless Communications Service (WCS), 23 Qualified Bidders
This Public Notice identifies the qualified bidders for the WCS auction. Twenty-three applicants qualified to bid in this auction. This Public Notice also contains bidding instructions and other information regarding the auction
pdf - text 
Attachment A: xls
Attachment B: xls
Attachment C: xls

3/27/1997
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 97-636)
Status of Applications to Participate in WCS Auction
The Commission received forty-three FCC Form 175 applications to participate in Auction 14. Twenty-seven (27) were classified as accepted for filing and sixteen (16) were classified as incomplete.
pdf - text 
Attachment A: xls
Attachment B: xls

3/13/1997
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 97-548)
Expedited Pleading Cycle Established for Oppositions and Replies to Oppositions to Petitions for Reconsideration filed by the Wireless Cable Association International, Inc. and by PACS Providers Forum and DigiVox Corporation
This Public Notice establishes an expedited Pleading Cycle for Oppositions and Replies to Oppositions to Petitions for Reconsideration of the WCS Report and Order filed by the Wireless Cable Association International, Inc. and by PACS Providers Forum and DigiVox Corporation
pdf - text 

2/21/1997
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 97-386)
Auction of Wireless Communications Service (WCS)
This Public Notice provides the filing requirements and auction rules for Auction No. 14, Wireless Communications Service. This auction of 128 WCS licenses is scheduled to begin April 15, 1997.
pdf - text 
Excel Tables: xls
MEA Map: pdf
REAG Map: pdf

2/7/1997
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 97-309)
FCC Sponsors Forum on Wireless Communications Service
This Public Notice announces the FCC will hold an industry forum on the Wireless Communications Service (2.3 GHz) on Feb. 28, 1997.
pdf - text 
Forum Agenda: pdf - text

PUBLIC NOTICE
Correction For Wireless Communications Service (WCS) Auction No. 14 BNF: FCC/AC Number for Wire Transfers
This Public Notice is to alert all potential participants in the Wireless Communications Service Auction scheduled for April 15, 1997, that the BNF: FCC/AC Number has been changed for those who are making upfront payments by wire transfer.
pdf - text 

Releases L

4/23/1997
LETTER
Letter to Alaskan Choice Television, L.L.C, Denying a Petition for Waiver of the Upfront Payment Deadline for the WCS Auction
This letter denies a request filed by Alaskan Choice Television, L.L.C., to increase the amount of the upfront payment it submitted for the Wireless Communications Service auction.

4/11/1997
LETTER (DA 97-730)
DigiVox's Request for Rule Waiver of the Upfront Payment Requirement in the WCS Auction
This letter denies DigiVox Telecom, Inc.'s waiver request of the upfront payment requirement in the WCS auction.
pdf - text 

Releases O

4/2/1997
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (FCC 97-112)
In the Matter of Amendment of the Commission's Rules to Establish Part 27, the Wireless Communications Service ("WCS")
This Memorandum Opinion and Order resolves two petitions for reconsideration of the Wireless Communications Services Report and Order.

4/1/1997
ORDER (FCC 97-111)
In the Matter of Emergency Motion of the Wireless Cable Association International, Inc. for a Stay of the Wireless Communications Service Auction and Associated Rule
This Order denies an emergency motion for stay of the Wireless Communications Services auction filed by the Wireless Cable Association International.
pdf - text 

3/21/1997
ERRATUM (FCC 97-50)
In the Matter of Amendment of the Commission's Rules to Establish Part 27, the Wireless Communications Service ("WCS")
This erratum to FCC 97-50 (the Report & Order in the WCS docket) corrects an inadvertent omission in Rule 27.307.

Round Results

Bidder Cross Reference (dbf)

Market Data (dbf)

No results here for this auction.

No results here for this auction.

Auction Seminar

Education