Auction 22: C, D, E, And F Block Broadband PCS

Summary

March 23, 1999 - April 15, 1999
Rounds:
78
Bidding Days:
17
Qualified Bidders:
67
Winning Bidders:
57 bidders won 302 licenses (8 license of 10 MHz, 115 licenses of 15 MHz, and 179 licenses of 30 MHz) 277 licenses won by 48 small bidders, 25 licenses won by 9 other bidders
Licenses Held by FCC:
45
Gross Bids:
$532,970,215
Net Bids:
$412,840,945
Reports Files
Top 5 Markets in Each MHz size
Summary of Round Results
Bidders Sorted by Total Net Bids and High Bids
Activity and Revenue Graph
Markets Data
Bidder Data
Spreadsheets Files
All Markets
All Bidders
Charts Files
Bidder Data
Licenses by Bidder
License Winner, Sorted by License
Maps & Band Plans
Basic Trading Areas Map
Spectrum Available Map
PCS (A, B, C, D, E, & F Block)
General Information

Auction Announcements
Auction Programs
Bidder Cross Reference (dbf)
For additional information about PCS, including buildout information, see Broadband PCS.

4/21/1999
Winning Bidders
Attachment D: pdf
Correction

3/10/1999
Qualified Bidders
Correction

2/24/1999
Applications to Participate
Attachment A: pdf
Attachment B: pdf
Attachment C: pdf

Procedures
Bidder Information Package for C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS Auction #22
Complete Bidder Package: zip
FCC Auction Seminar Registration Form: pdf
Table of Contents: pdf
Tab A: pdf
Tab B: pdf
Tab C: pdf
Tab D: pdf
Tab E: pdf
Tab F: pdf
Tab G: pdf
Supplemental List of Pending Proceedings (as of February 2, 1999): pdf

Fact Sheet

Date:

Auction 22 began on 3/23/1999 and closed on 4/15/1999.
Round 78 (See PN DA 99-757)

Licenses:
347 licenses - 133 15 MHz
206 30 MHz C block licenses
six 10 MHz E
two 10 MHz F block licenses
(See PN DA99-528 (pdf)) in various Basic Trading Areas ("BTA").
Spectrum:
30 MHz C block: 1895 - 1910 MHz paired with 1975 - 1990 MHz
15 MHz C block (with license suffix C2): 1895 - 1902.5 MHz paired with 1975 - 1982. 5 MHz
E block: 1885 - 1890 MHz paired with 1965 - 1970 MHz
F block: 1890 - 1895 MHz paired with 1970 - 1975 MHz
(See Broadband PCS Bandplan (pdf))
Bandwidth:

C block - 30 MHz
C block (suffix C2)- 15 MHz
E and F - 10 MHz (5 MHz paired)

Winning Bidders:
57 bidders won 302 licenses (8 license of 10 MHz, 115 licenses of 15 MHz, and 179 licenses of 30 MHz) 277 licenses won by 48 small bidders, 25 licenses won by 9 other bidders
Rounds:
78
Qualified Bidders:
67
Licenses Won:
302
Licenses Held by FCC:
45
Total Licenses:
347
Net Bids:
$412,840,945
Gross Bids:
$532,970,215

 

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

Key Dates

EventDate
Pre-Auction Seminar
2/3/1999
Form 175 (Short Form) Application Filing Deadline
2/12/1999; 5:30 pm ET
Upfront Payments Deadline
3/1/1999; 6:00 pm ET
Orders for Remote Bidding Software
3/9/1999; 5:30 pm ET
Mock Auction
3/18/1999
Auction Start
3/23/1999
Auction Closed
4/15/1999

Licenses Offered

A total of 347 licenses were offered(133 15 MHz, 206 30 MHz C block licenses, six 10 MHz E, and two 10 MHz F block licenses) in this auction. A complete list of licenses available for this auction was included in the Bidders Information Package at the end of TAB A.

Note: Nine licenses (B089C, B149C, B012C, B397D, B405D, B406D, B405F, B490F, and B493F) were removed from the 356 licenses initially scheduled for auction. (See PN DA 99-528 (pdf))

Permissible Operations

Broadband PCS encompasses a variety of mobile and/or portable radio services, using such devices as small, lightweight, multifunction portable phones, portable fax machines, and advanced devices with two-way data capabilities that are competing with existing cellular, paging, and other land mobile services.

License Period

Licenses are issued for a ten-year term from the initial license grant date

Bidding Credits

Qualifying applicants in Auction No. 22 were eligible for a bidding credit on C and F block licenses that represents the amount by which a bidder's winning bids are discounted. The size of the bidding credit depends on the average gross revenues for the preceding three years of the bidder, its affiliates, and persons or entities that hold interests in the bidder and their affiliates:

Bidding credits are not cumulative. A qualifying applicant receives either the 15 percent or the 25 percent bidding credit, but not both. The definitions of very small business and small business (or a consortium of very small or small businesses; including calculation of average gross revenues) are set forth in 47 C.F.R. § 24.720(b).

Winning bidders of C or F block licenses should note that transfer and assignment restrictions and unjust enrichment provisions apply to winning bidders that use bidding credits and subsequently assign or transfer control of their licenses to an entity not qualifying for the same levels of bidding credits.

Finally, bidders should also note that there are no installment payment plans in Auction No. 22.

Entrepreneur Status Eligibility

The C and F block spectrum licenses were designated as Entrepreneur's Blocks and were only available for those bidders designated as such. To qualify as an entrepreneur, a bidder must have gross revenues not to exceed $125 million for the last two years and have total assets not to exceed $500 million at the time of their Form 175 filing. (Note: Any bidder that participated in either of the C block auctions [Auctions Nos. 5 and 10] were not required to meet the revenue and asset rules as set out in Section 24.709 of the Commission's rules.)

Releases P

4/27/1999
ERRATUM TO PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 99-757)
Erratum
This Erratum amends the correction to Attachment D of Public Notice DA 99-757 released on April 21, 1999

4/20/1999
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 99-757)
C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS License Auction Closes; Winning Bidders of 302 Licenses Announced
This public notice announces the FCC completed the auction of 347 C, E, and F block broadband PCS licenses on April 15, 1999.

3/23/1999
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 99-569)
Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS Licenses, Information Relating to Additional Qualified Bidder, Report No. AUC-22-J
This Public Notice provides information regarding the additional applicant, Wireless II, L.L.C., that was found qualified to bid in Auction No. 22.

3/19/1999
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 99-556)
Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS Licenses
This public notice identifies an additional applicant, Wireless II, L.L.C., that has been found qualified to bid in Auction No. 22.

3/17/1999
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 99-528)
Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS Licenses
This public notice includes further corrections to attachment A correction to attachments F and G, Correction of technical information, and important payment reminders.
See Original DA 99-482 below

3/10/1999
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 99-482)
Auction of 356 Broadband PCS Licenses
This Public Notice identifies the 66 applicants that have been found qualified to bid for 356 C, D, E, and F Broadband PCS licenses and contains bidding instructions and other important information regarding the auction.
See Correction above 

2/24/1999
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 99-375)
Auction of C, D, E, And F Block Broadband PCS Licenses, Status of Applications to Participate in the Auction, Clarification of Payment Issue Relation to Licenses Subject to Pending Proceedings
This Public Notice announces the status of applications to participate in the C, D, E, And F Block Broadband PCS auction scheduled to begin on Tuesday, March 23, 1999. Upfront payments required on Monday, March 1, 1999.
Attachment A: pdf
Attachment B: pdf
Attachment C: pdf

2/8/1999
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 99-302)
Supplement to Attachment B, Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS Licenses, Notice and Filing Requirements for Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband Personal Communications Services Licenses Scheduled for March 23, 1999, Minimum Opening Bids and Other Procedural Issues
The attachment to this Public Notice supplements and replaces Attachment B of Public Notice, DA 98-2604, adds Exhibit G and replaces Tab F, Pg 151-157 in the Bidder Information Package.
See DA 98-2604 below

1/21/1999
CORRECTION TO (DA 98-2604)
Correction to Attachment A, Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS Licenses, Notice and Filing Requirements for Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband Personal Communications Services Licenses Scheduled for March 23, 1999, Minimum Opening Bids and Other Procedural Issues
This public notice corrects and replaces Attachment A of the Public Notice released December 23, 1998 announcing the auction and filing requirements for the Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS Licenses scheduled for March 23, 1999 (DA 98-2604).
pdf - text
See DA 98-2604 below
Attachment A: xls

12/23/1998
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 98-2604)
Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband PCS Licenses
This Public Notice addresses the Notice and Filing Requirements for Auction of C, D, E, and F Block Broadband Personal Communications Services Licenses Scheduled for March 23, 1999.
pdf - text
See correction and supplements above.
Attachment A: xls

11/19/1998
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 98-2337)
Additional Information Regarding Broadband PCS Spectrum Included in the Auction Scheduled for March 23, 1999, Comment Sought on Auction 
Procedural Issues
The Public Notice provides additional and corrected information about the broadband PCS spectrum to be included in Auction No. 22, including the addition of three D, six E, and five F block licenses. It also seeks comment on procedural issues relating to the auction of the D, E, and F block licenses in Auction No. 22.
Attachment A: xls

11/12/1998
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 98-2318)
C Block PCS Spectrum Auction Scheduled For March 23, 1999 Comment Sought on Auction Procedural Issues
This Public Notice announces an auction of C block broadband personal communications services ("PCS") licenses set to begin on March 23, 1999 (Auction No. 22).
pdf - text
Attachment A: xls

11/6/1998
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 98-2270)
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Dismisses C.H. PCS, Inc. Applications for Auction Event No. 5
This Public Notice dismisses seven of C.H. PCS, Inc. long-form applications for failure to submit timely down payments for the licenses.
pdf - text

Releases L

5/11/2011
LETTER (DA 11-850)
Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.
Granted the Withdrawal Request Filed by TDS. Dismissed TDI's Application for Review with Prejudice.

10/31/2006
LETTER (DA 06-2147)
Final Bid Withdrawal Payment for Auction No. 22, Glenn W. Ishihara

10/31/2006
LETTER (DA 06-2148)
Final Bid Withdrawal Payment for Auction No. 22, Global Telecommunications International, Inc.

10/31/2006
LETTER (DA 06-2165)
Final Bid Withdrawal Payment for Auction No. 22, New Mexico RSA 6-III Partnership

10/31/2006
LETTER (DA 06-2169)
Final Bid Withdrawal Payment for Auction No. 22, Pegasus PCS Partners, LP

12/13/2001
LETTER (DA 01-2884)
Mr. Vincent D. McBride (Refunds for Auction No. 22)
This Letter determines that no withdrawal payment is owed and calculates the appropriate refund.

4/7/1999
LETTER (DA 99-667)
Letter to Mark J. O'Connor, Esquire, Piper &Marbury L.L.P. counsel for Omnipoint Corporation (Omnipoint)
This letter grants Omnipoint's request for a limited waiver of Section 24.710(a) of the Commission's rules in Auction No. 22.

3/19/1999
LETTER (DA 99-555)
Letter to David L. Nace, Esq.Lukas, Nace, Gutierrez & Sachs, Counsel for Wireless II, L.L.C. ("WII")
This letter grants WII's request for a waiver of the Commission's Rules.

3/15/1999
LETTER (DA 99-515)
Letter to M. Tamber Christian, Esquire, counsel for Message Express Company (MEC)
This letter denies LORALEN PCS LLC's request for a waiver of the application submission deadline.

3/11/1999
LETTER (DA 99-492)
Letter to Mr. Jerome Vigil, Partner, LORALEN PCS LLC, DA 99-492
This letter denies LORALEN PCS LLC's request for a waiver of the application submission deadline.

3/3/1999
LETTER (DA 99-423)
Tri-States PCS, Inc. "Emergency Petition for Waiver,"
The attached letter grants the Emergency Petition for Waiver filed on February 25, 1999 by Tri-States PCS, Inc.

2/19/1999
LETTER (DA 99-363)
Confidentiality Request of North Alabama Cellular, L.L.C., Letter to Donald J. Evans
This letter denies the applicant's request for confidential treatment of information contained in their FCC Form 175.
pdf - text

2/19/1999
LETTER (DA 99-362)
Confidentiality Request of Graceba Total Communications, Inc., Letter to Timothy E. Welch
This letter denies the applicant's request for confidential treatment of information contained in their FCC Form 175.
pdf - text

2/19/1999
LETTER (DA 99-361)
Confidentiality Request of Northeast Communications of Wisconsin, Inc., Letter to Timothy E. Welch
This letter denies the applicant's request for confidential treatment of information contained in their FCC Form 175.
pdf - text

2/19/1999
LETTER (DA 99-360)
Confidentiality Request of Pine Belt PCS, Inc., Letter to Sylvia Lesse, Esquire; Margaret Nyland, Esquire
This letter denies the applicant's request for confidential treatment of information contained in their FCC Form 175.
pdf - text

2/12/1999
LETTER (DA 99-332)
Letter to Mark J. Tauber, Esquire
This letter denies Omnipoint Corporation's request for waiver of Section 24.712 of the Commission's rules.
pdf - text

Releases O

5/9/2001
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (FCC 01-155)
Entertainment Unlimited, Inc.
This Order denies Entertainment Unlimited, Inc.'s application for review and affirms the Bureau's decision rejecting EU's challenge of FCC procedures for refunding excess upfront payments.

9/14/2000
ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION (FCC 00-299)
In the Matter of Implementation of Section 309(j) of the Communications Act - Competitive Bidding Amendment of Parts 20 and 24 of the Commission's Rules - Broadband PCS Competitive Bidding and the Commercial Mobile Radio Service Spectrum Cap Amendment of the Commission's Cellular/PCS Cross-Ownership Rule
This Order on Reconsideration address three petitions for reconsideration of the Commission's Fifth Memorandum Opinion and Order in PP Docket No. 93-253. This Order also addresses nine petitions for reconsideration of the Commission's Report and Order in WT Docket No. 96-59 and GN Docket No. 90-314. Finally, this Order reinstates provisions which, in the Competitive Bidding Sixth Report and Order, were inadvertently eliminated from one of the Commission's competitive bidding rules.

7/3/2000
ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION (DA 00-1490)
Entertainment Unlimited, Inc. Request for Refund of Late Payment Fees for PCS Licenses Purchased in Auction No. 22
This Order on Reconsideration denies a Petition of Entertainment Unlimited, Inc. seeking a reversal of a previous Order which denied a request for refund.

2/14/2000
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (DA 00-279)
In the Matter of PCS Devco, Inc., ChaseTel Licensee Corp., and Leap Wireless International, Inc. Applications for Assignment of Authorizations.
This Order (1) conditionally grants the applications for assignment of C and F block licenses of ChaseTel Licensee Corp. and PCS Devco, Inc., (2) grants the application for assignment of a C block license of Leap Wireless International; and (3) denies petitions to deny filed by Carolina PCS.

11/19/1999
ORDER (FCC 99-2602)
In the Matter of Entertainment Unlimited, Inc. Request for Refund of Late Payment Fees for PCS Licenses Purchased in Auction No. 22
This Order denies a request from Entertainment Unlimited , Inc. (EU) for a refund of their late payment fees in connection with two broadband licenses purchased in Auction No. 22.

11/8/1999
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (FCC 99-335)
In the Matter of Amendment of the Commission's Rules Regarding Installment payment Financing for Personal Communications Services (PCS) Licenses
This Order denies the Application for Review filed by Omnipoint Corporation.
pdf - text

9/8/1999
ORDER (DA 99-1826)
In re Applications of ABC Wireless, L.L.C. (Market B190-Hilo, Hawaii) and American Wireless, L.L.C. (Market B192-Honolulu, Hawaii)
This Order, dismisses Gloria Borland Hawaii PCS, Inc.'s Petitions to Deny the above-captioned long form applications (FCC Form 601) filed by ABC Wireless, L.L.C. and American Wireless, L.L.C. , winning bidders in Auction 22, the C, D, E and F block broadband PCS license auction that closed on April 15, 1999 (Auction 22).

9/8/1999
ORDER (DA 99-1825)
In re Matter of U.S. Airwaves, Inc.
This Order dismisses U.S. Airwaves, Inc.'s informal objection against numerous long-form applications (FCC Form 601) filed in connection with Auction 22, the C, D, E and F block broadband PCS license auction that closed on April 15, 1999 (Auction 22).

9/8/1999
ORDER (DA 99-1824)
In re Applications of ABC Wireless, L.L.C. (Markets B052, B273, B338, and B423) and ComScape Communications, Inc. (Market B474)
This Order dismisses SouthEast Telephone, Inc.'s Petition to Hold in Abeyance the above-captioned long form applications (FCC Form 601) filed by ABC Wireless, L.L.C. and ComScape Communications, Inc. , winning bidders in Auction 22, the C, D, E and F block broadband PCS license auction that closed on April 15, 1999 (Auction 22).

9/8/1999
ORDER (DA 99-1823)
In the Matter of Pioneer Telephone Association, Inc. (Market B163) TLA Spectrum, L.L.C. (Market B391) Midwest Wireless Communications, L.L.C. (Market B378) Chariton Valley Communication Corporation, Inc. (Markets B090 and B230) OPCS Three, L.L.C. (Markets B112 and B145) Requests for Waiver of Section 20.6 of the Commission's Rules
This Order conditionally grants the requests for waiver filed by Pioneer Telephone Association, Inc. , TLA Spectrum, L.L.C., Midwest Wireless Communications, L.L.C., Chariton Valley Communication Corporation, Inc., and OPCS Three.

9/8/1999
ORDER (DA 99-1822)
In re Applications of ABC Wireless, L.L.C. (Markets B190 and B245) American Wireless, L.L.C. (Markets B192 and B219) Chariton Valley Communication Corporation, Inc. (Market B090) Cook Inlet/VoiceStream PCS L.L.C. (Markets B071, B078, B101, B109, B225, B260, B294, B332, B355, B380, B419, B426, B443 and B452) Highland Cellular, Inc. (Markets B255 and B444) Iowa Network Services, Inc. (Market B243) IT&E Overseas, Inc. (Market B490 and B493) OPCS Three, L.L.C. (Markets B005, B033, B112, B145, B169, B209, B223, B308, B310, B394 and B403) OPM Auction Co. (Market B046) Viper Wireless, Inc. (Markets B195 and B320)
This Order dismisses in part, and denies in part, Pacific Eagle Investments, Ltd.'s, Pacific Eagle Investment (L) Limited's, and Masa Telecom, Inc.'s Petitions to Defer or, in the Alternative, to Condition Grant (Petitions) of the above-captioned long-form applications (FCC Form 601) filed by winning bidders in Auction 22, the C, D, E and F block broadband PCS license auction that closed on April 15, 1999 (Auction 22).

9/8/1999
ORDER (DA 99-1821)
In re Applications of ABC Wireless, L.L.C. For Various C Block PCS Licenses
This Order dismisses Mountain Solutions Ltd., Inc.'s Petition to Deny the long-form application (FCC Form 601) filed by ABC Wireless, L.L.C. , a winning bidder in Auction 22, the C, D, E and F block broadband PCS license auction that closed on April 15, 1999.

9/2/1999
ORDER (DA 99-1785)
In the Matter of Highland Cellular, Inc. Request for Waiver of 47 C.F.R. § 1.2105(b)(2)
This Order denies Highland Cellular, Inc.'s request for waiver of section 1.2105(b)(2) of the Commission's rules.
pdf - text

9/2/1999
ORDER (DA 99-1784)
In the Matter of Personal Communications Service Beckley, West Virginia Basic Trading Area No. 35, C Block License Auction No. 22
This Order denies OPM Auction Co.'s Petition for Emergency Relief in the form of the immediate reinstatement of a pre-final round bid as the winning bid in Auction 22, the C, D, E and F block broadband PCS license auction.
pdf - text

6/2/1999
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (FCC 99-128)
In the Matter of Requests for Waiver of Section 24.711(b)(3) of the Commission's Rules Establishing the Interest Rate on Installment Payments for C Block PCS Licenses; Petitions for Reconsideration of Note and Security Agreement for C Block PCS Licensees
This Order dismisses the Application for Review filed by the "Joint C-Block" Applicants and denies the Application for Review filed by Omnipoint Corporation and Savannah Independent PCS Corporation.

4/5/1999
ORDER (FCC 99-56)
In the Matter of Additional Information Regarding Broadband PCS Spectrum Included in the Auction Scheduled for March 23, 1999
This Order dismisses the Application for Review and denies the Petition for Extraordinary Relief filed by Gloria Borland Hawaii PCS, Inc. on December 21, 1998, and March 4, 1999, respectively.
Dissenting Statement: pdf - text

8/19/1998
FORTH REPORT AND ORDER (FCC 98-176)
In the Matter of Amendment of the Commission's Rules Regarding Installment Payment Financing for Personal Communications Services (PCS) Licensees
This Order resolves the Commission's proposals in its C Block Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making and sets forth the rules that will govern reauction of C block spectrum surrendered to the Commission pursuant to the C Block Second Report and Order and the C Block Order on Reconsideration of the Second Report and Order, as well as any other C block spectrum available for reauction.

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