Source: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/auctions/auctions-glossary
Timestamp: 2018-10-20 03:08:51
Document Index: 140728468

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 101', 'art 27', 'art 24', 'art 100', 'art 74', 'art 95', 'art 101', 'art 21', 'art 24', 'arts 22', 'art 80']

Auctions Glossary | Federal Communications Commission
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219-219 MHz Radio Service
The 218-219 MHz Radio Service is a short-distance communication service designed for licensees to transmit information, product, and service offerings to subscribers and receive interactive responses within a specified service area. Mobile operation is permitted. Rules permit both common carrier and private operations, as well as one- and two-way communications. Potential applications include ordering goods or services offered by television services, viewer polling, remote meter reading, vending inventory control, and cable television theft deterrence.
218-219 MHz Radio Service
The 220 MHz Service is assigned the frequencies between 220-222 MHz. Licenses granted authorizations for operations on or before May 24, 1991 or applications received on or before May 24, 1991 are referred to as "Phase I". Licenses granted from applications received after May 24, 1991 are referred to as "Phase II". Phase I 220 MHz Service licensing was conducted by lotteries. Phase II 220 MHz Service licenses are awarded through competitive bidding. Licensees authorized in the Phase II 220 MHz Service will be able to provide voice, data, paging and fixed communications.
220 MHz Fact Sheet
220 MHz Map (pdf)
39 GHz Service
The frequency range for the 39 GHz service is between 38,600 and 40,000 MHz. Point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and mobile operations (after conclusion of a separate proceeding addressing interference issues) are allowed. This service can be used for a variety of applications, which could include, among other things, providing communications infrastructure for existing services such as broadband PCS, cellular, and other commercial and private mobile radio operations.
Part 101 of the Federal Communication's Rules
39 GHz Fact Sheet
39 GHz (BTA) Map (pdf)
700 MHz (Lower) Band
This band consists of forty-eight megahertz of spectrum, 698-746 MHz, previously allocated to television stations on Channels 52-59. A licensee on the Lower 700 MHz Band is permitted to provide fixed, mobile, and broadcast services. Possible uses of this spectrum include mobile and other digital new broadcast operations, fixed and mobile wireless commercial services (including FDD- and TDD-based services), as well as fixed and mobile wireless uses for private, internal radio needs.
Lower 700 MHZ Fact Sheet
Lower 700 MHZ Map (pdf)
700 MHz (Upper) Band
This band consists of thirty megahertz of spectrum, 747-762 and 777-792 MHz, previously allocated to television stations on Channels 60-62 and 65-67. This spectrum was reallocated for commercial use including fixed, mobile and broadcasting services. The potential to deploy new methods of providing high speed internet access is offered by this spectrum. It is also suitable for new fixed wireless services in underserved areas, as well as next generation high speed mobile services.
Upper 700 MHz Fact Sheet
Upper 700 MHz Map (pdf)
700 MHz Guard Band
This band encompasses six megahertz of spectrum, 746-747/776-777 MHz and 762-764/792-794 MHz, which will be awarded through competitive bidding to a new class of commercial licensee called Guard Band Managers. These frequencies are located immediately adjacent to the public safety spectrum, therefore, guard bands have been established to protect public safety users from interference. This spectrum was previously allocated to television stations on Channels 60-62 and 65-67 but was reallocated for commercial use in the guard bands for fixed and mobile services.
Upper 700 MHz Guard Bands Fact Sheet
1670-1675 MHz Band
The band consists of five megahertz of spectrum which was reallocated for non-Government use. Licensees authorized in this service will be able to provide a variety or combination of fixed, mobile (except aeronautical mobile), common carrier, and non-common carrier services. The band is shared on a co-primary basis with the Federal Government and may be limited by geographic area, time, or other means. Operations in this band will be generally regulated under the framework of our Part 27 technical, licensing, and operating rules.
1670-1675 MHZ Fact Sheet
See entry for: Bid Increment
A general reference regarding the level of bidder participation in an auction.
To ensure that an auction closes within a reasonable period of time and to increase the information conveyed by bid prices during the auction, the Federal Communications Commission utilizes "activity rules" which prevent bidders from waiting until the end of the auction before participating. Bidders are required to bid actively or be active (have a standing high bid) on a certain percentage of their bidding units (purchased by upfront payment prior to the auction) in every round. The required level of activity increases in each stage of the auction.
Activity Rule Waiver
See entry for: Waiver (Activity Rule Waiver)
AM Broadcast (AM)
A broadcast station licensed for the dissemination of radio communications intended to be received by the public and operated on a channel in the AM broadcast band.
Average Price (pop-weighted)
A measure of average price in dollars per pop in the auction, based on census data. The average price pop-weighted is calculated by dividing total auction revenue by the total population in the auction.
Average Price (unweighted)
A measure of average price in dollars per pop, calculated by averaging the price per unit of population for each license. The average price is calculated as the sum of the series: (revenue for each license/population for each license) / number of licenses.
A geographic area, based on the Rand McNally 1992 Commercial Atlas & Marketing Guide, 123rd Edition, pages 38-39, used by the Federal Communications Commission to define the coverage of spectrum licenses for certain services. The United States is divided into 487 BTAs. The Commission has further defined 6 other BTA-like areas: American Samoa; Guam; Northern Mariana Islands; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Mayaguez/Aguadilla-Ponce, Puerto Rico; and the United States Virgin Islands, for a total of 493 BTAs.
Basic Trading Area (BTA) map (pdf)
An FCC-determined minimum amount by which a bidder must increase a standing high bid. The bid increment is a fundamental activity rule which helps ensure that the pace of an auction is sufficient. Without a bid increment, bidders could increase bids by nominal amounts (such as $1.00 over the previous high bid), thereby increasing the time required for a license to reach its final value. Two frequently used methods of calculating a bid increment are:
Increment: A specific percentage amount (e.g., 10%) of the high bid
Exponential Smoothing: This method bases the bid increment for each license on a weighted average of the activity on that license in the most recently completed round and the activity on that license in all previous rounds. Simply put, when a license receives a substantial number of bids (three or more) the increment is higher, and when the number of bids decreases the increment is smaller.
Exponential Smoothing paper (pdf)
Bid Removal
Before the close of a bidding period, a bidder has the option of removing any bids placed in that round. By using the remove bid function in the software, a bidder may effectively "unsubmit" any bid placed within that round. A bidder removing a bid placed in the same round is not subject to withdrawal payments.
See entry for: Bid Withdrawal
Withdrawal of a high bid by the high bidder during the course of an ongoing auction. Bid withdrawals are subject to a withdrawal payment if the license ultimately sells for less than the withdrawn bid amount. The bid withdrawal activity rule serves to deter insincere bidding.
Bidding Credit
A percentage discount applied to the high bid amount for a license if the bidder meets specific designated entity criteria established in the auction rules. Bidders must apply for bidding credits when they file the FCC Form 175.
Bidding Unit (BU)
A unit of measure applied to the licenses being auctioned and to the bidder's eligibility level. Prior to an auction, licenses are assigned a specific number of bidding units for the purpose of calculating bidder compliance with the activity rules in each stage of the auction. In addition, during the upfront payment phase, bidders must purchase a sufficient amount of bidding units to ensure they are eligible to place bids on the licenses they desire. In the majority of our auctions, each upfront payment dollar equates to one bidding unit.
Broadband PCS (Broadband Personal Communications Services)
Operate in the 1850-1890 MHz, 1930-1970 MHz, 2130-2150 MHz, and 2180-2200 MHz bands. Broadband PCS provides a variety of mobile services that compete with existing cellular services.
Part 24, Subpart E, of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
C Block Fact Sheet
D, E, & F Block Fact Sheet
PCS Bandplan (pdf)
See entry for: Basic Trading Area (BTA)
See entry for: Bidding Unit (BU)
See Component Economic Area.
Radio telecommunication services provided using a cellular system.
See entry for: Cellular System
An automated high-capacity system of one or more multi-channel base stations designed to provide radio telecommunication services to mobile stations over a wide area in a spectrally efficient manner. Cellular systems employ techniques such as low transmitting power and automatic hand-off between base stations of communications in progress to enable channels to be reused at relatively short distances. Cellular systems may also employ digital techniques such as voice encoding and decoding, data compression, error correction, and time or code division multiple access in order to increase system capacity.
Component Economic Area (CEA)
A geographic area delineated by the Regional Economic Analysis Division, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce February 1995. There is a total of 354 service areas based on the 348 Component Economic Areas, with the following six FCC-defined service area additions: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, San Juan (Puerto Rice), MayagÃ¼ez/Aguadilla-Ponce (Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands.
Small businesses, businesses owned by members of minority groups and/or women, and rural telephone companies that meet size or other criteria established for specific services.
Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) Service
A radiocommunication service in which signals transmitted or retransmitted by space stations are intended for direct reception by the general public. In the Direct Broadcast Satellite Service the term "direct reception" shall encompass both individual reception and community reception.
Part 100 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) Fact Sheet
Each winning bidder in a typical auction must submit a down payment to the Federal Communications Commission in an amount sufficient to bring its total deposits up to 20 percent, or the amount specified in the auction procedures, of its winning bid within ten business days following the release of a public notice announcing the close of bidding. Upfront funds on deposit will be applied toward the down payment, after satisfying any withdrawal payments and/or defaulted net high bid amounts due. In certain auctions, e.g., where installment payments were permitted, bidders were able to break their initial down payment into two components: first and second down payments.
See entry for: First Down Payment
See entry for: Economic Area (EA)
Economic Area (EA)
A geographic area established by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the Department of Commerce and used by the Federal Communications Commission to define the coverage of spectrum licenses for certain services. There are 172 EAs, plus three EA-like areas, encompassing the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
EA Map (pdf)
Electronic Remote Bidding
See entry for: Remote Electronic Bidding
Eligibility Ratio
The ratio of total bidding units held by all bidders to the total bidding units for all licenses in the auction. The ratio will approach 1.0 as bidders drop eligibility. The eligibility ratio is a very informative predictor of an auction. A healthy eligibility ratio at the start of an auction is approximately 3 to 1, which basically means that there are three bidders for every license being auctioned. Examples of eligibility ratios for past auctions: PCS C Block auction 6.72 to 1, WCS auction 1.54 to 1.
FCC Account Number
A ten digit number, assigned to bidders by the FCC upon filing of the short-form application, used to identify and track applicants and bidders.
See entry for: Form 175
FCC-Held Licenses
A license is listed as "FCC held" because either no bid has yet been placed on the license, or because a high bid has been withdrawn and no bidder has placed a subsequent bid on the license.
Filing Status (accepted, incomplete, rejected)
After the initial deadline for filing FCC Form 175 applications has passed, the FCC will process all timely applications to determine which are acceptable for filing. Those applications that are "accepted" are complete and deemed accepted for participation in the auction. Those applications that are "incomplete" have minor defects that may be corrected, and the applicant will be given a chance to correct the application. Those applications that are "rejected" will not be able to participate in the auction.
After verifying receipt of the proper down payment, reviewing the winning bidder's long-form application, and resolving any petitions to deny or other oppositions filed, the Federal Communications Commission will announce by public notice that the license is ready to be issued. A winning bidder that is not a small business will then have ten business days from the release of this public notice to submit the full balance of its winning bid.
See entry for: Down Payment
First Down Payment
Initial post-auction payment by an entity eligible to pay for a license(s) in installments. The amount of the first down payment is calculated as a specified percentage of the net high bid plus any applicable withdrawal payments for each license. After bidding has ended, the Federal Communications Commission will issue a public notice declaring the auction closed. Within a specified number of business days after release of an auction closing notice, each winning bidder must submit sufficient funds to bring the total amount of money on deposit with the government to a specified percentage of the sum of its net winning bids. The details of the amount and timing of the first down payment are auction-specific.
FM Broadcast (FM)
A station employing frequency modulation in the FM broadcast band and licensed primarily for the transmission of radio telephone emissions intended to be received by the general public.
The area of service coverage by a telecommunications provider.
The FCC Remittance Advice Form that accompanies any payment due the FCC.
Form 175
(short-form application) Initial application form which must be submitted by a bidder in order to participate in an FCC auction.
Form 600 Series
(Long-form application) Full license application form which must be filed by winning bidders within a specified number of days after the close of the auction.
General Wireless Communications Service (GWCS)
GWCS licensees may provide any fixed or mobile communications service except Broadcast services, Radiolocation services, and Satellite services on their assigned frequency. These include but are not limited to voice, video, and data transmission, private microwave, broadcast auxiliary, and ground-to-air voice and video.
A measure of spectrum equal to one billion hertz or one thousand megahertz.
Guard Band Manager
The guard band manager is a new class of commercial licensee created for use in the Upper 700 MHz Guard Bands. Guard Band Managers can engage in the business of leasing spectrum to third parties on a for-profit basis, which can include both commercial service providers as well as private entities. The Guard Band Manager will be required to adhere to strict frequency coordination and interference rules, and control use of the spectrum so as to facilitate protection for public safety.
A measure of spectrum equal to one cycle per second (cps). One kilohertz (kHz) equals 1,000 cps; one megahertz (MHz) equals 1 million cps; one gigahertz (GHz) equals 1 billion cps.
Payments made after second down payment and license grant based on an amortization schedule for each license. Terms and conditions of installment payment plans are auction-specific.
(Now known as the Educational Broadband Service) Stations intended primarily to provide formal educational and cultural development in aural and visual form to students enrolled in accredited public and private schools, colleges and universities. Operates between 2.5 and 2.686 MHz. See the or the Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) Web page.
Part 74, Subpart I of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
MDS& ITFS Bandplan (pdf)
Former ITFS&MDS Service page
Interactive Video and Data Service (IVDS)
(Currently known as 218-219 MHz Radio Service) A point-to-multipoint, multipoint-to-point, short distance communications service capable of providing information, products, or services to and allow interactive responses from subscribers in the licensee's service area. Operates between 218-218.5 and 218.5-219 MHz.
Interactive Video and Data Services (IVDS) Fact Sheet
Part 95, Subpart F of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
A measure of spectrum equal to one thousand hertz.
A point-to-multipoint microwave service that operates in the 27.5-29.5 GHz and 31.0-31.3 GHz bands. The technology developed for use in this new broadband service provides very high subscriber capacity for two-way video telecommunications. There is sufficient capacity in the proposed LMDS system designs to provide wireless competition to both local exchange carriers and cable television systems. In addition, based on the interest generated in LMDS by entrepreneurs in the United States, LMDS has attracted attention and support from both developed and developing countries around the world.
LMDS Bandplan (pdf)
Local Multipoint Distribution Service (LMDS) Fact Sheet
Part 101 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
Location and Monitoring Service (LMS)
Systems using non-voice radio techniques to determine the location and status of mobile radio units. These systems are designed to support the nation's transportation infrastructure and to facilitate the growth of intelligent transportation systems. There are two types of LMS systems -- multilateration and non-multilateration. Multilateration LMS licenses are subject to competitive bidding and will operate in the 902-928 MHz frequency band. Multilateration LMS systems generally use spread-spectrum technology to locate vehicles throughout a wide geographic area. Non-multilateration LMS systems are defined as LMS systems that employ any technology other than multilateration technology.
LMS Bandplan (pdf)
Location and Monitoring Service (LMS) Fact Sheet
See entry for: Form 600 Series
A method for assigning spectrum licenses on the basis of random selection.
LPTV (SST)
A station that may retransmit the programs and signals of a TV broadcast station and that may originate programming in any amount greater than 30 seconds per hour and/or operates a subscription service.
Major Economic Area (MEA)
A geographic area established and used by the Federal Communications Commission to define the coverage of spectrum licenses for certain services. There are 52 MEAs, including 46 in the continental United States and 6 covering Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Major Economic Area (MEA) map (pdf)
Major Trading Area (MTA)
A geographic area based upon the Rand McNally 1992 Commercial Atlas & Marketing Guide, 123rd Edition, pages 38-39, used by the Federal Communications Commission to define coverage of spectrum licenses for certain services. The Commission uses 51 MTAs, which include the 47 established by Rand McNally, with the following exceptions and additions: Alaska is separated from the Seattle MTA and is licensed separately; Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are licensed as a single MTA-like area; Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are licensed as a single MTA-like area; and American Samoa is licensed as a single MTA-like area.
Major Trading Area (MTA) map (pdf)
See entry for: Multiple Address Systems (MAS)
The total number of bidding units a bidder is eligible to use in a single round. A bidder's maximum eligibility is initially established by the amount of its upfront payment.
MDS, MMDS
See entry for: Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS), Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS)
See entry for: Major Economic Area (MEA)
A measure of spectrum equal to one million hertz or one thousand kilohertz.
A geographic area defined by the Office of Management and Budget and modified by the Federal Communications Commission. There are 306 MSAs, including New England County Metropolitan Areas and the Gulf of Mexico Service Area (water area of the Gulf of Mexico, border is the coastline).
See entry for: Rural Service Area (RSA)
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) map (pdf)
Bid Once there is a standing high bid on a license, a bid increment will be applied to that license to establish a minimum acceptable bid for the following round.
A simulated auction conducted by Federal Communications Commission staff before the start of an auction, allowing potential bidders to become familiar with the auction bidding software.
MAS consists of spectrum in the 900 MHz band that is divided into three general categories: (1) the 928/952/956 MHz bands; (2) the 928/959 MHz bands; and (3) the 932/941 MHz bands. Certain channels in this service are licensed on a site-by-site basis, while other channels are licensed by Economic Areas (EA). The Multiple Address Systems Auction No. 42 Fact Sheet lists the frequencies that will be licensed by EAs. This service is available for the terrestrial point-to-multipoint and point-to-point fixed and mobile transmissions of a licenseeâ€™s products or services, excluding video entertainment material, to a licenseeâ€™s customer or for its own internal communications.
MAS Bandplan (pdf)
MAS Fact Sheet
Multipoint Distribution Service (MDS), Multichannel Multipoint Distribution Service (MMDS)
Provides wireless cable as a multichannel video distribution medium to compete with wired cable systems. As of June 1997, there are a maximum of thirty-three microwave channels used for wireless cable in each market which includes ITFS (Instructional Television Fixed Service). MDS operates between 2150-2162 MHz, 2596-2602 MHz, 2608-2614 MHz, 2620-2626 MHz, 2632-2638 MHz, 2602-2608 MHz, 2614-2620 MHz, 2626-2632 MHz, 2638-2644 MHz, 2650-2656 MHz, 2662-2668 MHz, 2674-2680 MHz. ITFS operates between 2500-2596 MHz, 2644-2650 MHz, 2656-2662 MHz, 2668-2674 MHz and 2680-2686 MHz. Note: In 1992, the 2160-2162 MHz frequency was reallocated as emerging technologies; thus, any subsequent MDS use of these 2 MHz will be secondary.
MDS Bandplan (pdf)
MDS Fact Sheet
Part 21, Subpart K of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
Narrowband PCS (Narrowband Personal Communications Services)
Operate in the 901-902 MHz, 930-931 MHz, and 940-941 MHz bands, using a smaller portion of the spectrum than Broadband PCS. Defined by the Federal Communications Commission as a family of mobile or portable radio services that may be used to provide wireless telephony, data, advanced paging, and other services to individuals and businesses, and which may be integrated with a variety of competing networks. For example, Narrowband PCS could be used for the development of advanced paging systems, in which pagers may become equipped with a small keyboard allowing the subscriber to both retrieve and send complete messages through microwave signals (e.g., wireless E-mail). Narrowband PCS licenses will most likely be used to provide such new services as voice message paging, two-way acknowledgment paging, and other text-based services.
Nationwide Narrowband Fact Sheet
Regional Narrowband Fact Sheet
Part 24, Subpart D, of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
Net High Bid
The current high bid, adjusted by the percentage of a high bidder's bidding credits.
The total net high bids for all licenses in the auction.
Net Winning Bid
The net high bid at the close of the auction.
Transmission of coded radio signals for the purpose of activating specific pagers: such transmissions may include messages and/or sounds. Paging services operate in the 35-36 MHz, 43-44 MHz, 152-159 MHz, 454-460 MHz, 929 MHz and 931 MHz bands.
Paging Fact Sheet
Parts 22 and 90 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
A broad range of radio communications services that enable individuals to communicate when they are away from their home or office telephone or other wire-based system. Basic forms of PCS include cordless telephone, enabling users to receive communications almost anywhere, and paging services which notify individuals that someone is attempting to communicate with them.
Pioneer's Preference
The pioneer's preference rules, which are no longer in force, formerly provided a means by which an applicant that demonstrated that it had developed a new communications service or technology might obtain a license to provide the new service or technology without being subject to auction as a way of awarding licenses among mutually exclusive applications. Under these rules, an applicant could receive a preference for a license if it demonstrated that it had developed the capabilities or possibilities of a new technology or service or had brought the technology or service to a more advanced or effective state. Such applicant for a preference was also required to demonstrate that the new service or technology would be technically feasible by submitting either the results of an experiment or a technical showing. The preference was granted only if the final service rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission were a reasonable outgrowth of the applicant's proposal and the new technology could be used to provide the service. After December 1994, Congress specified that entities awarded licenses pursuant to the pioneer's preference were required to pay, as a condition of license grant, a portion of the license's value, calculated according to 47 U.S.C. 309(j)(13)(B).
Abbreviated term for population. One pop equals one person. The Federal Communications Commission currently uses the 1990 census as a measure of population.
See entry for: Average Price (pop-weighted)
Proactive Waiver
See entry for: TV Broadcast (PST)
Public Coast Station
A public coast station is a land station in the Maritime Services that offers radio communication common carrier services, including interconnection to the public switched telephone network, to ship radio stations.
Public Coast Station Bandplan (pdf)
Public Coast Station Fact Sheet
Part 80 of the Federal Communications Commission's Rules
Those applicants whose FCC Form 175 applications have been accepted for filing and that have timely submitted upfront payments sufficient to make them eligible to bid on at least one of the licenses for which they applied. All qualified bidders are automatically registered for the auction.
Regional Economic Area Grouping (REAG)
A geographic area based on groupings of 172 Economic Areas (EAs) and 4 EA-like areas developed by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of Commerce, used to define the coverage of spectrum licenses for certain services.
Regional Economic Area Grouping (REAG) map (pdf)
Remote Electronic Bidding
Bidding procedure which enables bidders who have registered in advance and purchased the bidding software to place and withdraw bids and retrieve round results and other auction-related information from remote locations using a PC and modem to access the Federal Communications Commission's wide area network.
An auction round consists of a bidding period and a round results period.
Rural Service Area (RSA)
A geographic area used by the Federal Communications Commission to define coverage of spectrum licenses in certain services. There are 428 RSAs, which, when combined with 306 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), comprise the 734 cellular geographic service areas.
See entry for: Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA)
Rural Service Area (RSA) map (pdf)
Second Down Payment
Second post-auction payment by an entity eligible to pay for a license in installments. Payment is made a specified number of days after notification by the Federal Communications Commission of its intent to grant or make conditional grant of license(s). Payment is a specified percentage of the net high bid of each license.
Simultaneous Multiple Round Auctions
An auction design in which all licenses are offered simultaneously, in a series of separate rounds. If a simultaneous stopping rule is employed, bidding closes only after one round passes in which there are no new valid bids on any of the licenses, no proactive waivers are submitted, and no bid withdrawals.
Simultaneous Stopping Rule
An activity rule which states that an auction will close only after a round in which no new bids, withdrawals, or proactive waivers are received. The FCC retains the discretion to keep an auction open even if no new acceptable bids and no proactive waivers are submitted as specified in the auction rules.
Smoothing Methodology
Bases the bid increment for each license on a weighted average of the activity on that license in the most recently completed round and the activity on that license in all previous rounds. Simply put, when a license receives a substantial number of bids (three or more) the increment is higher, and when the number of bids decreases the increment is smaller.
Smoothing Methodology Paper (pdf)
Services used primarily for voice communications, although systems are also being developed for data and facsimile services. Additionally, the development of a digital, rather than analog, SMR marketplace is allowing new features and services, such as two-way paging and inventory tracking, credit card authorizations, automatic vehicle location monitoring, fleet management, remote database access and voice mail. The 800 MHz SMR service, established in 1974, was designed primarily to license dispatch radio systems on a transmitter-by-transmitter basis in local markets; i t is anticipated that the new geographic area-based service will provide services comparable to cellular and PCS providers. The 900 MHz SMR service was established in 1986, when the Federal Communications Commission allocated 200 channel pairs in the 896-901 MHz and 935-940 MHz bands for SMR services.
SMR Web page
800 MHz SMR Fact Sheet
800 MHz SMR Band Plan (pdf)
900 MHz SMR Fact Sheet
The range of electromagnetic radio frequencies used in the transmission of voice, data and video.
See entry for: LPTV (SST)
Typically, a Federal Communications Commission simultaneous multiple round auction employs an activity rule which divides the auction into three stages. Each stage requires bidders to use a certain percentage of their total bidding units in order to maintain maximum eligibility (e.g., Stage I, 60% of their bidding units; Stage II, 80%; and Stage III, 98%). In a given stage, if a bidder's activity falls below the required level, an automatic waiver will be submitted on the bidder's behalf if the bidder has waiversremaining. If a bidder has no waivers remaining or elects to override the automatic waiver function, its eligibility will be permanently reduced to bring it into compliance with the activity rule.
Percentage A percentage calculated by dividing the total number of bidding units of licenses receiving high bids in the current round by the total number of bidding units for all licenses in the auction. Named the "Stage Transition Percentage" because this percentage is the primary factor in determining when an auction transitions to a subsequent stage.
See entry for: Stages
Telephonic Bidding
Bidding procedure that enables bidders to place and withdraw bids by telephoning a Federal Communications Commission Bid Assistant.
Total Net High Bids
The total of all net high bids. This total does not include withdrawal payments, defaulted net high bids, or pioneer's preference payments.
Total Net High Revenue
The total of all net high bids plus withdrawal payments, defaulted net high bids, and pioneer's preference payments.
TV Broadcast (PST)
A station in the television broadcast band transmitting simultaneous visual and aural signals intended to be received by the general public.
TV Translator (SST)
A station in the broadcast service operated for the purpose of re-transmitting the programs and signals of a television broadcast station, without significantly altering any characteristic of the original signal other than its frequency and amplitude, for the purpose of providing television reception to the general public.
Payment made by bidders prior to the beginning of the auction in order to establish the initial eligibility of a bidder, representing the maximum numberof bidding units on which the applicant will be permitted to bid initially. For more specific information regarding a particular service,consult applicable service rules and auction public notices.
Waiver (Activity Rule Waiver)
Each bidder is provided a predetermined number of waivers at the start of an auction (e.g., five) that can be used during a bidding period to preserve bidding unit eligibility despite having an activity level below the required minimum. A waiver will preserve current eligibility in the next round and applies to an entire bidding round.
Proactive Waiver:A waiver submitted by the bidder during the bidding period. A proactive waiver (1) will preserve a bidder's eligibility in a round when the bidder does not meet the activity requirement, and (2) will keep the auction open in the event that no bids are placed in the round in which the proactive waiver is placed.
Automatic Waiver: A waiver applied automatically by the bidding system if a round closes and a bidder is below the required activity level. An activity waiver will not keep the auction open in the event that no bids or proactive waivers are submitted during the bidding period.
Payment required because a bidder withdrew a high bid during the auction and no other winning bids were made at or above the withdrawn bid amount.