CTIA Wants More Mock Auctions, Earlier

Symons. “The most logical approach would be to conduct multiple mock auctions in the time leading up to the actual incentive auction” to let auction participants become familiar with auction software and the data they will receive, CTIA said. “A single mock auction will not provide interested stakeholders the opportunity to fully understand the novel incentive auction process.” The association instead wants three mock auctions, one held two months out from the auction start, one a month away, and one a week before the incentive auction begins. The mock auctions should include extended phases so the parties involved can become familiar with them, and the FCC should release examples of items such as bidding reports ahead of the mock auctions, CTIA said. The agency should release “example data” that would include “broadcast station impairments including broadcaster call sign, cell grid impairment data, impairment levels for particular forward auction license blocks (Category 1 and Category 2 information), information about international border impairments (at the cell grid level for both Canadian and Mexican impairments), and all other impairment data that the FCC intends to provide bidders,” CTIA said. “Mock auctions are a form of a soft-launch with actual users that provide feedback that would allow the FCC and auction bidders to uncover any needed adjustments prior to actual auction start,” said the letter to be posted in docket 12-268.