**PUBLIC NOTICE**![](media/image1.png){width="0.7388888888888889in"
height="0.7458333333333333in"}

**FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION**

**445 12th STREET, S.W.**

**WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554**

News Media Information: (202) 418-0500

Fax-On-Demand: (202) 418-2830

Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

ftp.fcc.gov

**DA 99-1023**

**May 27, 1999**

# PHASE II 220 MHz SERVICE SPECTRUM AUCTION

**18 Qualified Bidders**

Report No. AUC-24-D (Auction No. 24)

This *Public Notice* identifies the 18 applicants that have been found
qualified to bid for spectrum associated with 225 Phase II 220 MHz
Service licenses in Auction No. 24, which is scheduled to begin on
Thursday, June 8, 1999. This *Public Notice* also contains bidding
instructions and other important information regarding the auction.

**Attachment A** lists each of the 18 qualified bidders, their upfront
payments, and maximum eligibility in bidding units.

**Attachment B** lists the licenses that were listed on each qualified
bidder\'s FCC Form 175.

**Attachment C** lists those applicants that submitted FCC Form 175
applications, but did not qualify to bid in this auction.

**Attachment D** contains software downloading/installing instructions
for participation in the mock auction.

**Attachment E** contains round results file formats for use during the
auction.

Please note that hardware and software requirements, as well as
instructions on accessing the FCC Network and monitoring the auction
on-line, were included as Attachments D through F of the Auction No. 24
*Status Public Notice*.[^1]

In order to participate effectively in the auction, qualified bidders
should re-familiarize themselves with the auction rules and other
information contained in the *Public Notices* released for this
auction.[^2] The following information provides additional guidance.

***Registration.*** Qualified bidders have been automatically registered
for the auction. For security reasons, the Commission will confirm
registration by two separate mailings of registration materials, both
sent to the contact person at the address identified in the bidder\'s
FCC Form 175. The two mailings will include the bidding codes, which
include the Bidder Identification Number, Login ID, Login Password and
the FCC Account Number. The second mailing will include the remote
bidding system software, if ordered. Upon receipt of both mailings, each
bidder should be in possession of the following information:

• FCC Account Number (as assigned by FCC)

• Bidder Identification Number (supplied by FCC mailing)

• Login ID (supplied by FCC mailing)

• Login Password (supplied by FCC mailing)

• Remote bidding system software, if ordered (supplied by FCC mailing)

• FCC Bidder Line Telephone Number (supplied by FCC mailing)

**Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring the security of their
computer systems, the security of their bidding codes, and that only
authorized bidders place bids on their behalf. The FCC assumes no
responsibility or liability for these matters.**

**WARNING: Any unauthorized person or entity accessing or tampering with
an FCC or other government computer will be prosecuted to the full
extent of the law.**

Any applicant listed as a qualified bidder in Attachment A to this
*Public Notice* that has not received both registration mailings **by
noon on Thursday, June 3** should contact the FCC at (888) CALL-FCC
((888) 225-5322). Callers should press option number 2 at the prompt for
auction inquiries. It is each applicant\'s responsibility to ensure that
all registration information has been received on time.

Lost Login IDs, Login Passwords and Bidder Identification Numbers can be
replaced only at the FCC Auction Headquarters, located at 445 12^th^
Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. If replacement is necessary, either an
authorized representative or the certifying official (as designated on
the applicant\'s FCC Form 175) must appear in person with two forms of
identification, one of which must be a photo identification. The
authorized representative should immediately contact the technical
support hotline to arrange the replacement of bidding codes.

***Electronic Bidding Software.*** In order to bid electronically, each
qualified bidder must purchase the Commission\'s electronic bidding
software. The software has been updated for Auction No. 24.
**Accordingly, software from prior auctions will not work for Auction
No. 24.** Bidders are advised to review the software manual included in
the registration materials and participate in the mock auction to become
familiar with this software. For software backup, bidders are advised to
duplicate the software for use by authorized representatives at
different locations. However, the FCC Remote Bidding System will not
accept electronic bids from qualified bidders that are not registered
purchasers of the bidding software.

***Bidding Contingency Plan.*** Bidders should develop comprehensive
contingency plans they can implement quickly in case they experience
difficulty participating in the auction. While the FCC will correct any
problems within Commission‑controlled facilities, bidders are solely
responsible for anticipating and overcoming problems such as bidder
technical failures, local telephone service interruptions, adverse local
weather conditions, unavailability of authorized bidders, or loss or
breach of confidential security codes.

The FCC Remote Bidding System requires access to a 900 service telephone
line. Bidders should verify in advance that the telephone systems they
will be using to submit electronic bids permit access to 900 service
telephone numbers, and should consult their telephone administrators if
they need assistance.

All filers, manual and electronic, will be supplied with a telephone
number for telephonic bidding in their registration packet. Manual
filers are required to use this telephone number to place bids.
Electronic bidders may use this telephone number as an alternate method
of bidding in the event they are not able to submit their bids
electronically.

***Minimum Opening Bids.*** There will be a minimum opening bid for each
license in Auction No. 24, calculated in accordance with the formulas we
have previously announced.[^3] The minimum opening bid amount is subject
to reduction at the discretion of the Commission. Bidders should be
aware, however, that the FCC will not entertain requests to lower
minimum opening bids. The agency will exercise its discretion, if at
all, independent of any communications from bidders.

***Messages and Announcements.*** The FCC will post pertinent auction
information as messages and announcements on the FCC Remote Bidding
System, on its Internet site and on its Bulletin Board System (BBS).
Bidders should routinely check for messages and announcements each time
they enter the Remote Bidding System, and should read this information
carefully.

***Bidding Schedule.*** The bidding schedule for Tuesday, June 8, 1999,
and continuing until further notice, will be:

Bidding Period 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. ET

Round Results 10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. ET

Bidding Period 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET

Round Results 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET

The FCC will set the pace of the auction based upon its monitoring of
the bidding and its assessment of the auction\'s progress. All schedule
changes are made by announcement during the course of the auction.

***Bidder Questions during the Auction.*** FCC auction officials and
technical support staff will be available during the course of the
auction to answer questions from bidders. Bidders should identify
themselves as a bidder with time sensitive auction questions when
calling any number. Help can be obtained through the following telephone
numbers:

FCC Bidder Line Use telephonic bid number

(telephonic bidding, auction conduct supplied in registration mailing

questions)

FCC Technical Support Hotline (202) 414-1250

(all technical questions, software and

hardware)

FCC Auctions Division (legal questions) (202) 418-0660

***Monitoring Round Results.*** Attachment E (How to Monitor FCC
Auctions On-Line) of the *Status* *Public Notice* provides instructions
for reviewing and downloading round results, and other material related
to Auction No. 24 released by the Commission during the course of the
auction.

***Auction Tracking Tool (ATT).*** The FCC has developed a tool for
tracking the results of its auctions. Bidders wishing to familiarize
themselves with the ATT can now download it with a sample database from
the Internet at: <http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/auctions/auc24_1.html>, where a
specific link provides access to the tracking tool. The ATT is also
available via the FCC Auctions Bulletin Board System. This tool is
available for use in both the mock auction and the actual auction.

The ATT is provided to bidders free of charge as an additional means of
analyzing the auction round results. Bidders should develop back-up
strategies for viewing round results that can be implemented quickly in
case they experience technical difficulties with the tracking tool.

The ATT is a stand-alone application which runs on Windows 95/98 and NT
operating systems and does not require any other software, although some
advanced features require Microsoft Excel 97. The tool will allow users
to import round result files and analyze bidding results after each
round of the auction. For installation and use instructions see the
README file and on-line help system that accompany the ATT.

> **User Requirements.** This software is designed to be used by a wide
> range of users. For most effective use of the tool, users should be
> familiar with:
>
> \* Microsoft Windows 95/98/NT
>
> \* Microsoft Excel 97
>
> \* The FCC simultaneous multiple round auction format
>
> **Software and Hardware Requirements.** At a minimum, you will need
> the following:
>
> \* Microsoft Windows 95, 98 or NT.
>
> \* Up to 40-50 MB of available hard disk space. For the application
> itself, only 2-3 MB will be necessary, but the auction database can
> grow quite large.
>
> \* 16 MB RAM and Pentium based processor are required with 32 MB RAM
> and a Pentium 166 or higher strongly recommended.
>
> \* Some advanced features of the tool will require Microsoft Excel 97,
> but the majority of the tool\'s features can be used without Excel.

***Amendments to FCC Form 175s.*** Applicants are responsible for
maintaining the accuracy and completeness of information furnished in
their FCC Form 175 and exhibits. *See* 47 C.F.R § 1.65. It is the
staff\'s position that applicants should amend their applications within
ten business days from the occurrence of a reportable change. Electronic
filers should make modifications to their FCC Form 175s electronically,
and submit a letter briefly summarizing the changes to:

Amy Zoslov

Chief, Auctions & Industry Analysis Division

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau

Federal Communications Commission

Room 4-A760

445 12^th^ Street, SW

Washington, DC 20554

with a courtesy copy to Anne Napoli at the same address. As described in
the Commission\'s Rules, applicants may make only minor corrections to
their FCC Form 175 applications; major modifications (*e.g.*, changing
the markets applied for, changing control of the applicant, changing

the certifying official or signing a manual application) will not be
accepted. *See* 47 C.F.R. § 1.2105(b).

***Due Diligence.*** Bidders are reminded that they should continue to
conduct due diligence examinations regarding incumbents and other legal
developments with respect to the licenses for which they bid during the
course of the auction.[^4]

***Mock Auction.*** The FCC will conduct a mock auction on Friday, June
4, 1999, to allow qualified bidders to familiarize themselves with the
electronic bidding software. The mock auction will be open only to
qualified bidders. Telephonic bidding will also be available during the
mock auction. Qualified bidders wishing to place telephonic bids should
use the telephone number supplied in the registration materials for the
auction. Pre-registration is not required to participate in the mock
auction.

This mock auction will include all Auction No. 24 licenses, and will
follow the rules governing the actual auction. The mock auction will be
identified as Auction No. 74. The program will assume that each bidder
applied for all licenses and submitted upfront payments of \$250,000,
corresponding to 250,000 bidding units. The auction will simulate the
start of Stage One, so bidders will be required to be active on at least
80 percent of their bidding units, or risk having a waiver automatically
applied unless bidding eligibility is reduced.

The mock auction bidding schedule for Friday, June 4, 1999 will be:

## Round 1

Bidding Period 9:00 a.m. ‑ 10:00 a.m. ET

Round Results 10:00 a.m. ‑ 10:30 a.m. ET

## Round 2

Bidding Period 10:30 a.m. ‑ 11:30 a.m. ET

Round Results 11:30 a.m. ‑ 12:00 p.m. ET

Break 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET

## Round 3

Bidding Period 1:00 p.m. ‑ 1:30 p.m. ET

Round Results 1:30 p.m. ‑ 2:00 p.m. ET

## Round 4

Bidding Period 2:00 p.m. ‑ 2:30 p.m. ET

Round Results 2:30 p.m. ‑ 3:00 p.m. ET

## 

## Round 5

Bidding Period 3:00 p.m. ‑ 3:30 p.m. ET

Round Results 3:30 p.m. ‑ 4:00 p.m. ET

## Round 6

Bidding Period 4:00 p.m. ‑ 4:30 p.m. ET

Round Results 4:30 p.m. ‑ 5:00 p.m. ET

Eligible Auction No. 24 bidders who wish to participate in the mock
auction using electronic bidding must establish a PPP connection to the
FCC Auction Network through either an 800 or a 900 number, as selected
through the mock auction software. (The FCC strongly encourages
participants to test their ability to connect using the 900 number, in
order to identify any potential problems such as a 900-number telephone
block. There will be no access charge for the first minute of the
900-number connection time.)

When participants establish the PPP connection and start the Mock
Bidding System, they will register for the mock auction by entering
their FCC Account Number. The Login names, Login passwords, and Bidder
Identification Numbers (BINs) will be pre-filled. Note: Pre-filled codes
are for the mock auction only. For the actual auction, valid Login codes
and BINs will be mailed to qualified bidders with their registration
materials.

Remote bidding software for the mock auction will be available via the
FCC\'s Internet and Bulletin Board System beginning June 3, 1999 at 1
p.m. *See* Attachment D for downloading/installing instructions. This
software is specifically designed for this simulation, and is not
adaptable to any other FCC spectrum auction. As part of the software,
the Commission has established a suggestion box and welcomes your
comments regarding the software.

**OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION**

**Long-Form Applications:** Applicants that claim status as a small or
very small business should be aware that at the long-form application
stage they will be subject to the more extensive reporting requirements
contained in the Commission\'s Part 1 ownership disclosure rule. *See*
47 C.F.R. § 1.2112(b). In addition, applicants with foreign ownership
interests will be required to comply with 47 U.S.C. § 310(b)(4) at the
long-form application stage.

For additional information regarding this *Public Notice*, please
contact Ruby Hough or Anne Napoli, Auctions & Industry Analysis
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-0660, or Bob
Reagle, Auctions and Industry Analysis Division, Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau, at (717) 338-2801. Questions about software
or hardware should be directed to Technical Support at (202) 414-1250.

[^1]: ^?^ *See* "Phase II 220 MHz Service Spectrum Auction Status of
    Applications to Participate in the Auction," *Public Notice*, DA
    99-904 (released May 13, 1999) ("*Status Public Notice*"). All
    documents relating to Auction No. 24 are available on the FCC Web
    Site at **http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/auctions**.

[^2]: ^?^ *See* "Phase II 220 MHz Service Spectrum Auction, Notice and
    Filing Requirements for Auction of Phase II 220 MHz Service Spectrum
    Scheduled for June 8, 1999, Minimum Opening Bids and Other
    Procedural Issues," *Public Notice*, DA 99-474 (released March 8,
    1999) ("*Auction Public Notice*"); *Status Public Notice*.

[^3]: ^?^ *See Auction Public Notice* at 22-23. For information on the
    minimum opening bid for each of the 225 Phase II 220 MHz Service
    geographic area licenses, see Attachment A of the *Auction Public
    Notice.*

[^4]: ^?^ *See Auction Public Notice* at 4-6 and Attachment B.