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

**FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION** News Media Information: (202)
418-0500

**445 12th STREET, S.W.** Fax-On-Demand: (202) 418-2830 **WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20554** Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

ftp.fcc.gov

####### 

####### DA 00-877 

April 18, 2000

**AUCTION OF ADDITIONAL LICENSES FOR**

**800 MHz SPECIALIZED MOBILE RADIO (SMR) SERVICE**

**TO BE INCLUDED IN AUCTION NO. 34**

**SCHEDULED FOR AUGUST 23, 2000**

**COMMENT SOUGHT ON RESERVE PRICES OR MINIMUM OPENING BIDS AND OTHER
AUCTION PROCEDURAL ISSUES**

**Report No. AUC‑00-34-B (Auction No. 34)**

This Public Notice provides additional information about the 800 MHz
licenses being offered in Auction No. 34.[^1] Specifically, Auction No.
34 will include three 800 MHz Upper Band licenses (861-865 MHz).
Attachment A contains a listing of the three additional licenses that
will be offered in Auction No. 34. This Public Notice also seeks comment
on procedural issues related to the auctioning of these licenses in
Auction No. 34.

The frequencies and channels numbers associated with each spectrum block
are listed below. Spectrum block A is allocated 20 channels, spectrum
block B is allocated 60 channels, and spectrum block C is allocated 120
channels.

+--------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+
| Spectrum Block     | Channel Numbers     | Frequencies               |
|                    |                     |                           |
|                    |                     | (Base & Mobile)           |
+--------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+
| A                  | 401 - 420           | 861.0 -- 861.5 MHz        |
|                    |                     |                           |
|                    |                     | 816.0 -- 816.5 MHz        |
+--------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+
| B                  | 421 - 480           | 861.5 -- 863.0 MHz        |
|                    |                     |                           |
|                    |                     | 816.5 -- 818.0 MHz        |
+--------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+
| C                  | 481 - 600           | 863.0 -- 866.0 MHz        |
|                    |                     |                           |
|                    |                     | 818.0 -- 821.0 MHz        |
+--------------------+---------------------+---------------------------+

######## 

######## I. Reserve Price or Minimum Opening Bid

The Bureau proposes to utilize the same minimum opening bids previously
established for the 800 MHz Upper Band licenses in Auction No. 16,
rounded to the nearest hundred dollars.[^2] A list of the three
additional licenses, including the related geographic service area
population and minimum opening bid, is attached hereto as Attachment A.
The Bureau believes minimum opening bids, rather than reserve prices,
will help to regulate the pace of the auction and provide greater
flexibility. Comment is sought on this proposal. Alternatively, comment
is sought on whether, consistent with the Balanced Budget Act of 1997,
the public interest would be served by having no minimum opening bid or
reserve price.[^3]

### II. Upfront Payments and Initial Maximum Eligibility for Each Bidder

The Bureau proposes to use the same upfront payments as previously
established for the

800 MHz Upper Band licenses in Auction No. 16.[^4] A list of these
licenses, including the related geographic service area population and
upfront payment, is attached hereto as Attachment A. We seek comment on
this proposal.

We further propose that the amount of the upfront payment submitted by a
bidder will determine the initial maximum eligibility (as measured in
bidding units) for each bidder. Upfront payments will not be attributed
to specific licenses, but instead will be translated into bidding units
to define a bidder\'s initial maximum eligibility, which cannot be
increased during the auction. Thus, in calculating the upfront payment
amount, an applicant must determine the *maximum* number of bidding
units it may wish to bid on (or hold high bids on) in any single round,
and submit an upfront payment covering that number of bidding units. We
seek comment on this proposal.

### III. Other Auction Procedural Issues

In the *Auction No. 34 Comment Public Notice*[^5], the Bureau set forth
and sought comment on the following proposals relating to auction
structure and bidding procedures: (1) simultaneous multiple round
auction design; (2) upfront payments and initial maximum eligibility;
(3) activity rules; (4) activity rule waivers and reducing eligibility;
(5) information relating to auction delay, suspension or cancellation;
(6) round structure; (7) reserve or minimum opening bid; (8) minimum
accepted bids and bid increments; (9) information regarding bid
withdrawal and bid removal; and (10) the stopping rule. The Bureau
proposes to utilize the same auction structure and procedures for the
additional licenses listed in Attachment A that it utilizes for the
auction of all other licenses in Auction No. 34. We seek comment on
these proposals as they relate to the licenses listed in Attachment A.

### IV. Conclusion

Comments are due on or before April 28, 2000, and reply comments are due
on or before

May 5, 2000. To file formally, parties must submit an original and four
paper copies to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications
Commission, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW,
TW‑A325, Washington, D.C. 20554. In addition, parties must submit one
copy to M. Nicole Oden, Attorney, Auctions and Industry Analysis
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Federal Communications
Commission, Room 4-A337, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20554 and
one copy to Rana Shuler, Auctions and Industry Analysis Division,
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Federal Communications Commission,
Room 4-A628, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20554. Comments and
reply comments will be available for public inspection during regular
business hours in the FCC Public Reference Room, Room CY-A257, 445 12th
Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20554.

For further information concerning this proceeding, contact Nicole Oden,
Auctions and Industry Analysis Division, (Legal Branch) at (202)
418-0660; Kathy Garland or Bob Reagle, Auctions and Industry Analysis
Division, (Auction Operations) at (717) 338-2888.

-   FCC --

[^1]: *See* "Auction of Licenses for 800 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio
    (SMR) Service General Category Frequencies in the 851-854 MHz Band
    Scheduled for August 23, 2000," *Public Notice*, DA 00-667
    ("*Auction No. 34 Comment* *Public Notice*") (rel. March 23,
    2000)*.*

[^2]: *See* "Auction of 800 MHz SMR Upper 10 MHz Band, Minimum Opening
    Bids or Reserve Prices," *Order*, DA 97-2147 (rel. Oct. 6, 1997).

[^3]: Section 3002(a)(E)(i), Balanced Budget Act of 1997, Pub. L.
    105-33, 111 Stat. 251 (1997) (\"Budget Act\"), amending Section
    309(j) of the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. § 309(j).

[^4]: *See* "Auction of 800 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio Service
    Licenses, Auction Notice and Filing Requirements for 525 Licenses in
    the Upper 200 Channels Scheduled for October 28, 1997," *Public
    Notice*, DA 97-1672 ("*Auction* *No. 16 Public Notice*") (rel.
    August 6, 1997).

[^5]: *See supra* note 1.