FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:

March 20, 2008 Robert Kenny: (202) 418-2668

Chelsea Fallon: (202) 418-7991

**STATEMENT BY FCC CHAIRMAN KEVIN J. MARTIN**

Washington, D.C. -- Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman
Kevin J. Martin today released additional information regarding the
provisional winners in Auction 73 (the 700 MHz Auction). The Auction
raised a record \$19.592 billion, advanced new wireless open platform
policies, created opportunities for new entrants and small businesses
both nationwide and in rural markets.

**Expanded Opportunity for New Players Nationwide and in Rural Areas**

A bidder other than a nationwide incumbent won a license in every
market. As a result of the 700 MHz Auction, there is the potential for
an additional wireless 'third-pipe" in every market across the nation.
Additionally, 99 bidders, other than the nationwide wireless incumbents,
won 754 licenses -- representing approximately 69 percent of the 1090
licenses sold in the 700 MHz auction. The Auction therefore drew
wide-ranging interest from a number of new players. For example,
Frontier Wireless LLC (EchoStar), which is widely viewed as a new
entrant, won 168 licenses in the E block to establish a near nationwide
footprint for its services for consumers.

Non-nationwide incumbents showed significant interest in rural areas as
well. 75 new players won licenses to serve 305 rural areas of the
country (428 Rural Service Area licenses in total). Winners in these
markets will provide increased access to broadband and greater choice in
wireless service for consumers living in rural areas.

**Small Businesses Success**

The 700 MHz rules helped ensure advanced wireless services (including
broadband) are deployed in both urban and rural areas of the country. In
this auction 119 (56%) of 214 total qualified bidders and 56 (55%) of
101 total winning bidders claimed designated entity bidding credits as
small businesses. These bidders won 379 (35%) of 1090 licenses. Small
businesses then had similar success in this auction as in similar PCS
and AWS auctions.

**Open Platform and Build-out Conditions Endorsed**

The open platform and aggressive build-out policies were endorsed by the
bidders as evidenced by the record number of bids and revenues
generated. Total bids on the A, B, C and E blocks were more than twice
the total of their reserve prices of \$8.724 billion. Each of these
blocks was sold for more than comparable blocks in the AWS-1 auction
even with the Commission's aggressive build-out and open platform
requirements.

The auction has already had an impact on the wireless industry.
Following the Commission's decision to impose an open platform
requirement on the C block, Verizon Wireless made a commitment to open
its entire network to devices and applications of consumers' own
choosing. Verizon wireless was the major winner in the C block acquiring
the six CONUS REAGs plus Hawaii.

**History-Making Auction**

The auction which resulted in \$19.2 billion in gross winning bids and
\$18.96 billion in net winning bids is the largest auction in FCC
history even without the sale of the D block.

Even in a difficult economic climate, revenues raised in this auction
exceeded congressional estimates of \$10.182 billion by approximately
187 percent -- nearly twice the amount Congress had anticipated would be
raised to support public safety initiatives, the digital television
transition and \$7 billion in budget deficit reduction.

Further details about this and other FCC auctions can be accessed on the
FCC's auctions web page at
[[http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctions]{.underline}](http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctions)
and FCC's Integrated Spectrum Auction System website at
[[http://auctions.fcc.gov]{.underline}](http://auctions.fcc.gov/).

-FCC-

News and other information about the Federal Communications Commission\
is available at [www.fcc.gov](http://www.fcc.gov/).