Often lottery winners would turn around and sell the license for a healthy profit. With a deficit budget on the rise, Congress took note of the potential payload. Now the wavelengths formerly reserved for military use are on the auction block. The first auctions brought in much more than people expected. While the July auction was heavily attended in person, McMillan said next month's format will be an exercise in virtual auctioning, with the bulk of companies putting up bids on-line.
Techies can even find out results posted on the Internet.
Because the upcoming auction presents such a landmark event for the PCS world, Qualcomm will host a three-day PCS TechForum Nov. 29 to Dec.1. The forum will feature a series of seminars for PCS bidders on the technology, regulatory issues and auction strategies. Featured speakers include Raymond Steele, managing director of Multiple Access Communications Ltd. and Stewart Fist, a wireless communication free-lance journalist. Of course Qualcomm will skew the event toward PCS applications that employ its code division multiple access technology, which is under consideration for use in the PCS spectrum. As for McMillan, the auctions present a unique historical development for two reasons.