Open Platforms and the 700 MHz Spectrum Auction

As is well known by now, on October 5 the FCC announced the details for Auction 73 for the 700 MHz spectrum, to be held January 24, 2008. Some observations about the C block from the FCC auction auction rules document and the license rules document here:

• The C block includes spectrum at 746-757 MHz, and 776-787 MHz.


• Spectrum is paired across the two bands.


• There are 12 licenses total in the C block: 8 regional licenses (across the 50 states); 2 "Atlantic" licenses (US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Gulf of Mexico); and 2 "Pacific" licenses (US Pacific territories). Package bidding is allowed on the national licenses, on the Atlantic group, and on the Pacific group.


• The C block has a reserve of $4.6 billion; if this reserve is not met, then the spectrum will be re-auctioned (as part of Auction 76), without the open platform requirement.

See also:

• This post from Ars Technica, giving some of the reaction to the open platform rules.


• This letter from Google CEO Eric Schmidt describing the type of license rules Google wanted the FCC to adopt.