Summary

September 27, 2012 - September 27, 2012
Rounds:
1
Bidding Days:
1
Qualified Bidders:
52
Winning Bidders:
33
General Information
Eligible Census Block Data
As noted in Public Notice DA 12-641 (released 5/2/2012), the links below will take you to data on census blocks eligible for Mobility Fund Phase I support. These blocks were identified by analyzing 2010 Census data, January 2012 American Roamer (now Mosaik Solutions) data, and information submitted by third parties.

Attachment A Files (updated 9/7/2012)
Eligible Areas Map (updated 9/7/2012)

This map is an interactive visual representation of data from the Attachment A files that were updated 9/7/2012, with Public Notice DA 12-1446 (pdf). The Attachment A files contain more information and generally more detail than is displayed on the map.
On this map, eligible census blocks are black, and counties that contain any of these blocks are shaded light gray. As explained in the public notice, in most cases these census blocks will be aggregated to the census tract level for bidding. Depending on the zoom level at which you are viewing the map, you will see some of the following information: state names and borders, county names and borders, city names, tract numbers and borders, and more detailed information by county. For each county containing eligible blocks, the following information is displayed: the county name; the number of eligible blocks with road miles in any of six road categories; the number of tracts with eligible blocks; the total number of road miles in the eligible blocks for the S1100, S1200, S1400, S1500, S1640, and S1740 road categories; the total population of the eligible blocks; and the name and number of the CMA in which the county is located.

GIS Data (updated 1/11/2013)
 
 
 

2/1/2024
ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION (DA 24-96)
OEA, WTB, and WCB Deny PTI Pacifica Petition for Reconsideration

10/25/2019
ORDER (DA 19-1094)
WCB, WTB and OEA Grant Standing Rock MF-I Waiver
WCB, WTB, and OEA grant Standing Rock Telecommunications' petition seeking a limited waiver of the construction, drive testing, and reporting deadlines associated with the receipt of its final disbursement of Mobility Fund Phase I support

Fact Sheet

Date:

Auction 901 began on 9/27/2012 and closed on 9/27/2012.

 
Winning Bidders:
33
Rounds:
1
Qualified Bidders:
52
Support Awarded:
$299,998,632
Eligible Geographic Areas:

14,245 areas:
6,099 Census Tract-level aggregations of eligible Census Blocks, and 8,146 individual Census Blocks in Alaska (Total of 419,580 eligible Census Blocks)

General information and associated licensing parameters are provided below. Public notices provide specific information regarding this auction. This fact sheet includes:

EventDate
Comments Due
Reply Comments Due
Auction Tutorial Available (via Internet)
FCC Form 180 (Short Form) Application Filing Window Opens
FCC Form 180 (Short Form) Application Filing Deadline
Mock Auction
Auction Start
Auction Closed

The Mobility Fund Phase I Auction (Auction 901) will offer up to $300 million in one-time support to carriers that commit to provide advanced mobile voice and broadband services in areas where such services are currently unavailable. Winning bidders will have to deploy third generation (often called “advanced” or “3G”) service within two years or fourth-generation (“4G”) service within three years of the award of support.

This will be the first auction to offer high-cost universal service support through competitive bidding. Using a reverse auction format, bidders will identify a per-road mile support price at which they are willing to meet our requirements to cover the qualifying road miles in a given area. Support will be awarded based on the lowest bid amounts submitted, to at most one provider in a given area. Thus, bidders will compete not only against other carriers that may be bidding for support in the same areas, but against carriers bidding for support in other areas nationwide. Support will be awarded equal to the per-road mile bid rate multiplied by the number of qualifying road miles that the winning bidder actually covers within the required timeframe.

Geographic areas currently without 3G or better services, and eligible for Mobility Fund Phase I support, were determined on a census block basis using 2010 Census data, January 2012 American Roamer (now Mosaik Solutions) data, and information submitted by third parties. Eligible census blocks were aggregated to the census tract level for bidding, except in Alaska, where bids may be placed for individual census blocks. In tracts that contain some eligible blocks that are in a Tribal land and other eligible blocks that are not in a Tribal land, the eligible census blocks were aggregated separately for Tribal blocks and non-Tribal blocks. Bidders may bid on multiple areas and be awarded support for any or all of them.

For more information on the eligible census blocks in Auction 901, see the “Attachment A Files”.

Submission of a false certification to the Commission may result in penalties, including monetary forfeitures, the forfeiture of universal service support, license forfeitures, ineligibility to participate in future auctions, and/or criminal prosecution.

A 25 percent bidding credit is available for any Tribally-owned or controlled provider seeking Mobility Fund Phase I support on its Tribal lands. The credit is available with respect to the eligible census blocks located within the geographic area defined by the boundaries of the Tribal land associated with the Tribally-owned or controlled provider seeking support.

The bidding credit reduces the Tribal entity’s bid amount by 25 percent for the purpose of comparing it to other bids, but if the entity were to win, support would be calculated at the full, undiscounted bid amount.

To ensure that Mobility Fund Phase I support meets the Commission’s public interest objectives, all recipients will be subject to a variety of obligations, including service requirements, performance deadlines, annual reporting and record retention requirements, collocation, voice and data roaming requirements, and Tribal engagement obligations in exchange for the support they receive. Among other things, a winning bidder will be required to provide coverage to a minimum of 75 percent of the road miles associated with the eligible blocks in each biddable geographic area for which it is awarded support within two years for 3G deployments or three years for 4G deployments.

47 C.F.R. Parts 1 and 54
USF/ICC Transformation Order, FCC 11-161, 26 FCC Rcd 17663 (2011) 

Releases P

3/11/2016
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 16-215)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 11 winning bids; Default on 35 Auction Winning Bids Determined

9/21/2015
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 15-811)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support For 11 Winning Bids Ready To Be Authorized; Listed Auction 901 Winning Bidder Must Submit Letters of Credit and Legal Counsel's Opinion Letter by October 5, 2015
The Wireless Telecommunications and Wireline Competition Bureaus announce the requirements for 11 winning bids for Mobility Fund Phase I Support for Auction 901.

6/19/2014
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 14-843)
Guidance on Annual Reports and Other Reporting Requirements for Recipients of Support Under Phase I of the Mobility Fund (Including Tribal Mobility Fund); 2014 Annual Report Filing Deadline Extended to July 31, 2014; Specifications for Shapefile Data to be Submitted with FCC Form 690
Reporting Guidance, Filing Portal, and 2014 Filing Deadline Extension.

5/13/2014
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 14-610)
Mobility Fund Phase I; Default on Eight Auction 901 Winning Bids Determined
Announces bid defaults for Mobility Fund Phase I in Auction 901.

12/23/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-2464)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 222 Winning Bids; Default on 94 Auction Winning Bids Determined

12/6/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-2343)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support for Four Winning Bids Ready to be Authorized
The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and The Wireline Competition Bureaus are ready to authorize Mobility Fund Phase I Support for Auction 901 winning bids.

11/25/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-2248)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support for 218 Winning Bids Ready to be Authorized

9/19/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1922)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for Six Winning Bids

8/29/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1829)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 20 Winning Bids

8/21/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1786)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 93 Winning Bids

8/16/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1769)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 50 Winning Bids; Default on Six Auction 901 Winning Bids Determined

8/8/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1732)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 21 Winning Bids; Default on Two Auction 901 Winning Bids Determined

7/29/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1662)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 40 Winning Bids; Default on 23 Auction 901 Winning Bids Determined

7/18/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1591)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 54 Winning Bids; Default on One Auction 901 Winning Bid Determined

6/24/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1429)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 42 Winning Bids
The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Wireline Competition Bureau authorize Mobility Fund Phase I support for Auction 901 winning bids.

6/24/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1431)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support for Seven Winning Bids Ready to be Authorized; Listed Auction 901 Winning Bidders Must Submit Letters Of Credit and Legal Counsel's Opinion Letters by July 9, 2013
The Wireless Telecommunications and Wireline Competition Bureaus are ready to authorize Mobility Fund Phase I Support for Auction 901 winning bids.

6/20/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1412)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for 39 Winning Bids; Defaults on Four Auction 901 Winning Bids Determined

6/14/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1381)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support for 126 Winning Bids Ready to be Authorized; Listed Auction 901 Winning Bidders Must Submit Letters of Credit and Legal Counsel's Opinion Letters by June 28, 2013

6/12/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1359)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support For 26 Winning Bids Ready To Be Authorized; Listed Auction 901 Winning Bidders Must Submit Letters of Credit and Legal Counsel's Opinion Letters by June 26, 2013

6/7/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-1329)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized for Fourteen Winning Bids

4/25/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-887)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support For 183 Winning Bids Ready To Be Authorized; Listed Auction 901 Winning Bidders Must Submit Letters of Credit and Legal Counsel's Opinion Letters by May 9, 2013
183 Auction 901 Winning Bids Ready to be Authorized.

4/25/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-888)
Mobility Fund Phase I Support Authorized For Seven Winning Bids; Defaults on Two Auction 901 Winning Bids Determined

1/11/2013
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 13-24)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; GIS Data of Auction 901 Results
The Wireless Telecommunications and Wireline Competition Bureaus announce the availability of a shapefile of the Mobility Fund Phase I auction results.

10/31/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-1736)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; Long-Form Application Deadline Extended

10/3/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-1566)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction Closes; Winning Bidders Announced for Auction 901

9/14/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-1456)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; 52 Bidders Qualified to Participate in Auction 901
This Public Notice announces applicants qualified to bid in Auction 901.

9/7/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-1446)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; Release of Files with Recalculated Road Miles for Auction 901; Mock Auction Rescheduled for September 21, 2012
This Public Notice announces updated data files for Auction 901 and a rescheduled mock auction on September 21, 2012.

8/9/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-1272)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; Status of Short-Form Applications To Participate In Auction 901
Announces status of 53 short-form applications to participate in Auction 901.

7/19/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-1165)
Office of Native Affairs and Policy, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and Wireline Competition Bureau Issue Further Guidance on Tribal Government Engagement Obligation Provisions of the Connect America Fund

7/3/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-1056)
The Wireline Competition Bureau Consents to Service Area Redefinition Of Five Rural Telephone Companies in Pennsylvania Sought By Keystone Wireless, LLC D/B/A Immix Wireless
The Wireline Competition Bureau consents to proposed service area redefinitions with respect to five rural telephone companies in Pennsylvania.

6/22/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-990)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction Updated Data Files For Auction 901

6/15/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-947)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction Supplemental Short-Form Instructions and Other Information

5/17/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-779)
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Wireline Competition Bureau Seek Comment on Petition for Designation as Eligible Telecommunications Carriers Filed by Carolina West

5/8/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-721)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; Additional Data Formats of Eligible Census Blocks
The Wireless Telecommunications and Wireline Competition Bureaus announce GIS and other data files for Auction 901.

5/4/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-718)
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Wireline Competition Bureau Seek Comment On Petitions for Designation As Eligible Telecommunications Carriers filed by SI Wireless and T-Mobile

5/2/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-641)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction Scheduled for September 27, 2012; Notice and Filing Requirements and Other Procedures for Auction 901
Established the procedures that will be used for the reverse auction that will award $300 million in one-time Mobility Fund Phase I support.

3/8/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-355)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; GIS Data of Potentially Eligible Census Blocks

2/27/2012
ERRATUM (DA 12-271)
Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designation for Participation in Mobility Fund Phase I

2/24/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-271)
Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designation for Participation in Mobility Fund Phase I

2/16/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-236)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; Limited Extension of Deadlines for Comments and Reply Comments on Census Block Eligibility Challenges
The Wireless Telecommunications and Wireline Competition Bureaus extend the deadline for filing comments and reply comments on census block eligibility challenges.

2/10/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-187)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction; Updated List of Potentially Eligible Census Blocks
The Wireless Telecommunications and Wireline Competition Bureaus announce an updated list of census blocks potentially eligible for Mobility Fund Phase I support to be offered in Auction 901.

2/2/2012
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 12-121)
Mobility Fund Phase I Auction Scheduled For September 27, 2012; Comment Sought On Competitive Bidding Procedures For Auction 901 And Certain Program Requirements
The Wireless Telecommunications and Wireline Competition Bureaus seek comment on the upcoming Mobility Fund Phase I auction.
Copies of comments and reply comments filed in response to this public notice may be found by using the search function of ECFS under proceeding 12-25 or through the FCC Reference Information Center, which is located at the Commission's Headquarters.

Releases O

2/1/2024
ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION (DA 24-96)
OEA, WTB, and WCB Deny PTI Pacifica Petition for Reconsideration

10/25/2019
ORDER (DA 19-1094)
WCB, WTB and OEA Grant Standing Rock MF-I Waiver
WCB, WTB, and OEA grant Standing Rock Telecommunications' petition seeking a limited waiver of the construction, drive testing, and reporting deadlines associated with the receipt of its final disbursement of Mobility Fund Phase I support

8/21/2018
ORDER (DA 18-867)
TexNet
Denial of TexNet 4G Waiver of MF-I Auction Default Payment Rule

9/11/2013
ORDER (DA 13-1847)
Cross Wireless, LLC
Granted Cross Wireless, LLC a Waiver of the Mobility Fund Phase I Auction 901 eligibility rule.

9/11/2013
ORDER (DA 13-1848)
Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc
Granted a request from Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc. for a limited extension of time to submit a bank commitment letter in support of its long-form application for Mobility Fund Phase I support.

11/1/2012
ORDER (DA 12-1747)
Mobility Fund Phase I Waiver of Section 54.1007(a) of the Commission's Rules
Waiver of section 54.1007(a)(1) to allow Auction 901 winning bidders to use CoBank, ACB for letters of credit.

7/18/2012
FOURTH ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION (FCC 12-82)
Connect America Fund, Universal Service Reform - Mobility Fund Fourth Order on Reconsideration
Reconsidered certain aspects of the USF/ICC Transformation Order in response to various petitions for reconsideration.

7/3/2012
ORDER (DA 12-1014)
Petition of T-Mobile For FCC Designation As An Eligible Telecommunications Carrier For Mobility Fund Phase I (Auction 901)
The Wireline Competition and Wireless Telecommunications Bureaus grant the petition filed by T-Mobile for four wholly-owned subsidiaries to be conditionally designated as ETCs.

7/3/2012
ORDER (DA 12-1013)
Petitions for Designation As An Eligible Telecommunications Carrier For Purposes of Participation in Mobility Fund Phase I, Petition of Carolina West Wireless, Inc.
The Wireline Competition and Wireless Telecommunications Bureaus grant the petition of Carolina West to be conditionally designated as an ETC.

7/3/2012
ORDER (DA 12-1012)
Petition of SI Wireless, LLC For Designation As An Eligible Telecommunications Carrier In Tennessee
The Wireline Competition and Wireless Telecommunications Bureaus conditionally grant the petition of SI Wireless for designation as an ETC.

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Winning Bids Map

Historical Potentially Eligible Areas Map

Auction 901 Full Information Round Results Files

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