U.S. Cellular urged the FCC Wireless Bureau to...
U.S. Cellular urged the FCC Wireless Bureau to ensure that bidders of all sizes have a reasonable opportunity for success in Auction 96 for the H block. Without additional spectrum made available to small and regional carriers, “there will be…
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a continued lack of competition in the wireless industry and reduced network deployments in currently underserved areas,” it said in comments in docket 13-178 (http://bit.ly/191p7pU). Comments on rules for the auction were due this week. The group also cautioned the bureau against adopting hierarchical package bidding (HPB) and anonymous bidding procedures. It agreed with other commenters, stating that adequate opportunities for small and regional carriers to bid on licenses “would not occur if the bureau adopts its HPB proposal.” T-Mobile asked the commission to ensure that licenses “are put in the hands of those entities that value them the most and that the goals of the Spectrum Act are met,” it said in its comments (http://bit.ly/156jhyw). The auction can be conducted using the bureau’s proposed simultaneous multiple-round format or its proposed alternative, the single round sealed-bid auction, it said. Regardless of the format, the bureau should adopt HPB, T-Mobile said: It will allow participants “to bid on and obtain complementary licenses in a manner that best suits their business needs.” AT&T also supports using HPB, it said (http://bit.ly/13Zw1H1). Package bidding “would be a fair and efficient way to accommodate bidders of all sizes,” it said. Sprint Nextel supports using the SMR format without package bidding. This approach “strikes a balance among the goals of flexibility, transparency ... and revenue generation, all towards the broader goal of serving the public interest,” it said (http://bit.ly/16svGQ8). The commission should adopt the proposal to use aggregated license reserve prices, Sprint said.