United States 2008 wireless spectrum auction

The United States 700 MHz FCC wireless spectrum auction, officially known as Auction 73,[1] was started by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on January 24, 2008 for the rights to operate the 700 MHz frequency band in the United States. The details of process were the subject of debate among several telecommunications companies, including Verizon Wireless, AT&T, as well as the Internet company Google. Much of the debate swirled around the "open access" requirements set down by the Second Report and Order released by the FCC determining the process and rules for the auction. All bidding was required by law to commence by January 28.[2]

Overview

The last transmissions by the incumbent television broadcasters using this spectrum ceased on June 12, 2009 except for LPTV (Low Power TV) stations, which can stay on the air with an analog signal until the winning bidders start operations. Full power TV stations ceased analog broadcasting on June 12, 2009.

Original usage

The 700 MHz spectrum was previously used for analog television broadcasting, specifically UHF channels 52 through 69. The FCC has ruled that the digital television transition has made these frequencies no longer necessary for broadcasters, due to the improved spectral efficiency of digital broadcasts.[3] Thus, all broadcasters will be required to move to channels 2 through 51 as part of the digital TV transition. This reallocation is an ongoing effort; the lower channels of the band, 52 through 59 (698-746 MHz), have been used considerably more for analog and digital broadcasts than the upper channels, 60 through 69, which have been largely abandoned.

Precedents

A similar reallocation was employed in 1989 to expand analog cellphone service, having previously eliminated TV channels 70-83 which had occupied the same frequencies. This created an unusual situation where old TV tuning equipment was able to eavesdrop on cellular calls, although such activity was made illegal and the FCC prohibited the sale of future devices with that capability. There is also no "Channel 1" in the US because it was repurposed for land mobile radio services in 1948.

Prior auctions

Some of the 700 MHz spectrum was already auctioned in Auctions 44 and 49. Channels 54, 55 and 59 were sold and in some areas are already being used for broadcasting and Internet access. For example Qualcomm MediaFLO in 2007 started using Channel 55 for broadcasting TV to cell phones in New York City, San Diego and elsewhere.[4]

Auction rules and process

For the 700-MHz auction, the FCC designed a new multi-round process that limits the number of package bids that each bidder can submit (12 items and 12 package bids) and the prices at which they can be submitted, provides computationally intensive feedback prices similar to the pricing approach.[5] This package bidding process (which is often referred to as combinatorial auctions) was the first of its kind to be used by the FCC in an actual auction. Bidders were allowed to bid on individual licenses or on an all-or-nothing bid which could be done up to twelve packages, which the bidder determined at any point in the auction. Doing the auction this way allowed the bidder to avoid the exposure problem when licenses are complements. The provisional winning bids are the set of consistent bids that maximize total revenues. The 700 MHz auction represented a good test-case for package bidding for two reasons. First, the 700 MHz auction only involves 12 licenses: 2 bands (one 10 MHz and one 20 MHz) in each of the 6 regions.[6] Secondly, prospective bidders had expressed interest in alternative packaging because some Internet service providers had different needs and the flexibility would benefit them. The FCC issued Public Notice DA00-1486 adopted and described the package bidding rules for the 700 MHz auction.

The FCC’s original proposal allowed only nine package bids: the six 30 MHz regional bids and three nationwide bids (10, 20, or 30 MHz). Although these nine packages were consistent with the expressed desires or many prospective bidders, others felt that the nine packages were too restrictive. The activity rule is unchanged, aside from a new definition of activity and a lower activity requirement of 50%. A bidder must be active on 50% of its current eligibility or its eligibility in the next round will be reduced to two times its activity. Bids made in different rounds were treated as mutually exclusive and a bidder wishing to add a license or package to its provisional winnings must renew the provisional winning bids in the current round.

The FCC placed rules on public safety for the auction. 20 MHz of the valuable 700 MHz spectrum were set aside for the creation of a public/private partnership that will eventually roll out to a new nationwide broadband network tailored to the requirements of public safety. The FCC offered the commercial licensee extra spectrum adjacent to the public safety block that the licensee can use as it wants. The licensee is allowed to use whatever bandwidth that is available on the public safety side of the network to offer data services of their own.[7]

Google involvement

In an effort to encourage Network neutrality, groups such as Public Knowledge, MoveOn.org, Media Access Project, along with individuals such as Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, and Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig appealed to the Federal Communications Commission to make the newly freed airways open access to the public.[8]

Prior to the bidding process, Google asked that the spectrum be free to lease wholesale and the devices operating under the spectrum be open. Currently many providers such as Verizon and AT&T use technological measures to block external applications. In return Google guaranteed a minimum bid of $4.6 billion. Google's specific requests were the adoption of these policies:

The result of the auction was that Google was outbid by others in the auction, triggering the open platform restrictions Google had asked for without having to actually purchase any licenses.[10] Google was actively involved in the bidding process although it had no intentions of actually winning any licenses.[11] The reason for this was that it could push up the price of the bidding process in order to reach the US$ 4.6B reserve price, therefore triggering the open source restrictions listed above. Had Google not been actively involved in the bidding process, it would have made sense for businesses to suppress their bidding strategies in order to trigger a new auction without the restrictions imposed by Google and the FCC.[10] Google's upfront payment of $287 million in order to participate in the bidding process was largely recovered after the auction since it had not actually purchased any licences. Despite this, Google ended paying interest costs, which resulted in an estimated loss of 13 million dollars.[10]

The FCC ruled in favor of Google's requests.[12] Only two of the four requirements were put in place on the upper C-Block, open applications and open devices.[13] Google had wanted the purchaser to allow 'rental' of the blocks to different providers.

In retaliation, Verizon filed a lawsuit against the Federal Communications Commission to remove the provisions Google had asked for. Verizon called the rules “arbitrary and capricious, unsupported by substantial evidence and otherwise contrary to law.”[14]

Lawsuits

After the open access rules were implemented, Verizon Wireless filed suit against the FCC on September 13, 2007, seeking to have the rules dismissed on the grounds that the open access requirement "violates the U.S. Constitution, violates the Administrative Procedures Act … and is arbitrary, capricious, unsupported by the substantial evidence and otherwise contrary to law."[15] On October 23, Verizon chose to drop the lawsuit after losing its appeal for a speedy resolution on October 3. However, the CTIA stepped in to challenge the same regulations in a lawsuit filed the same day.[16] On November 13, 2008, the CTIA dropped its lawsuit against the FCC.[17]

Auction

The auction divided UHF spectrum into 5 blocks:[18]

The FCC placed very detailed rules about the process of this auction of the 698–806 MHz part of the wireless spectrum. Bids were anonymous and designed to promote competition. The aggregate reserve price for all Block C licenses was approximately $4.6 billion.[19] The aggregate reserve price for all 5 blocks being auctioned in Auction 73 was just over $10 billion.[19]

Results of the auction

Auction 73 generally went as planned by telecommunications analysts. In total, Auction 73 raised $19.592 billion.[20] Notably, Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility together accounted for $16.3 billion of the total revenue. Of the 214 approved applicants, 101 successfully purchased at least one license. Despite their heavy involvement with the auction, Google did not purchase any licenses. However, Google did place the minimum bid on Block C licenses in order to ensure that the license would be required to be open-access. [21]

The results for each of the five blocks:

After the end of Auction 73, there remained some licenses that either went unsold or were defaulted on by the winning bidder from Blocks A and B. A new auction, Auction 92, was held on July 19, 2011 to sell the 700 MHz band licenses that were still available. The auction closed on July 28, 2011,[25] with 7 bidders having won 16 licenses worth $19.8 million.[26]

700 MHz spectrum interoperability issues

6 years after the end of the auction of 700 MHz spectrum Block A remains largely unused. After the conclusion in March 2008 of Auction 73, Motorola initiated steps to have 3GPP establish a new industry standard (later designated as Band Class 17) that would be limited to the Lower 700 MHz B and C Blocks. In proposing Band Class 17, Motorola cited the need to address concerns about high power broadcast transmissions in Channel 51 and the Lower 700 MHz D and E Blocks. As envisioned and ultimately adopted, the Band Class 17 standard allows LTE operations in only the Lower 700 MHz B and C blocks using a specific signaling protocol that would filter out all other frequencies. Although Band Class 17 operates on two of the three blocks common to Band Class 12, Band Class 17 devices use "more narrow filters," which have the effect of permitting a smaller range of frequencies to "pass through" the filter. In addition, Band Class 12 and Band Class 17 signaling protocols are not compatible.[27]

The creation of two non-interoperable band classes has had numerous effects. For example, customers are unable to switch between a licensee deploying its service using Band Class 17 and a licensee that provides its service using Band Class 12 without purchasing a new device (even when the two operators use the same 2G and 3G technologies and bands), and Band Class 12 devices and Band Class 17 devices cannot roam on each other’s networks.[27]

When deploying LTE network C Spire Wireless decided not to use A block due to lack of Band 12 support in devices, issues with roaming and cost of basestations.[28] US Cellular deployed Band Class 12 LTE network, however not all US Cellular's devices were able to access it. In particular iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C could not.[29] Other wireless telecommunication providers launched LTE Band Class 12 networks but have not been able to offer smartphones that access their LTE Band Class 12 networks instead resorting to fixed or mobile wireless broadband modems.[30] As of April 2015, only three telecom providers offered smartphones that use Band 12: US Cellular, T-Mobile USA, and Nex-Tech Wireless.

While smaller US telecommunication providers bewailed lack of interoperability AT&T defended the creation of Band 17 and told the other carriers to seek interoperability with Sprint and T-Mobile.[31] But in September 2013 AT&T changed their stance and committed to support and sell Band 12 devices [32]

Following AT&T's commitment the Federal Communications Commission ruled:[27]

Consistent with these commitments, AT&T anticipates that its focus and advocacy within the 3GPP standards setting process will shift to Band 12 related projects and work streams. AT&T must place priority within the 3GPP RAN committee on the development of various Band 12 carrier aggregation scenarios. Upon completing implementation of the MFBI feature, AT&T anticipates that its focus on new standards related to the paired Lower 700 MHz spectrum will be almost exclusively on Band 12 configurations, features and capabilities.[27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Auction 73 Factsheet at fcc.gov Auction 73 Factsheet from FCC.gov
  2. ↑ "AUCTION OF 700 MHz BAND LICENSES SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 16, 2008 COMMENT SOUGHT ON COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCEDURES FOR AUCTION 73" (PDF) (Press release). Federal Communications Commission (FCC). 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2007-09-10.
  3. ↑ wireless.fcc.gov FCC on "Lower 700 MHz"
  4. ↑ MediaFlo live TV press release
  5. ↑ Porter, David; Stephen Rassenti; Anil Roopnarine; Vernon Smith (June 17, 2003). "Combinatorial Auction Design". Interdisciplicary Center for Economic Science, George Mason University.
  6. ↑ Cramton, Peter (February 2001). "Spectrum Auctions". Handbook of Telecommunications Economics.
  7. ↑ Anderson, Nate. "FCC Sets 700MHz Auction Rules: Limited Open Access, No Wholesale Requirement". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  8. ↑ Broache, Anne (2007-06-14). "Google lobbies for 'open' wireless networks". CNet.
  9. ↑ "Google Intends to Bid in Spectrum Auction If FCC Adopts Consumer Choice and Competition Requirements". Google Press Center.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Bruscoa, Sandro; Lopomob, Giuseppe; Marx, Leslie M. (June 2009). "The ‘Google effect’ in the FCC’s 700 MHz auction". Information Economics and Policy 21 (2): 101–114. doi:10.1016/j.infoecopol.2009.03.001.
  11. ↑ "Verizon, AT&T win FCC auction, Google wins open spectrum". Google News.
  12. ↑ Albanesius, Chloe (2007-07-31). "New FCC Spectrum Rules Win Google's Nod".
  13. ↑ "FCC Moving Forward Report" (PDF). 2009-01-15. p. 24.
  14. ↑ Malik, Om (2007-09-13). "Verizon Sues, Google Expresses Dismay Over 700 MHz Auction". Gigaom.
  15. ↑ Verizon lawsuit
  16. ↑ CTIA steps in
  17. ↑ CTIA Drops Lawsuit Against FCC's Open Access Rules - PCWorld Business Center
  18. ↑ 700 MHzBand Plan
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 F.C.C. (2007), FCC 07-132 (PDF), retrieved 2011-03-17
  20. ↑ http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctions/default.htm?job=auction_summary&id=73
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 Silva, Jeffrey; Dano, Mike (2008), "700 MHz auction ends", RCRWireless, retrieved 2011-03-17
  22. ↑ Ethical Concerns Swirl Around D Block Spectrum Auction
  23. ↑ http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/business/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207400019&cid=tab_art_tele
  24. ↑ http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctions/default.htm?job=auction_summary&id=73
  25. ↑ http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-1269A1.pdf
  26. ↑ http://wireless.fcc.gov/auctions/default.htm?job=auction_summary&id=92
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 "REPORT AND ORDER AND ORDER OF PROPOSED MODIFICATION" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  28. ↑ "C Spire's LTE network won't support its 700 MHz spectrum". FierceWireless. 2012-07-12. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  29. ↑ "U.S. Cellular spectrum partner bewails absence of Band 12 in Apple's iPhone". FierceWirelesstitle. 2013-05-30. Retrieved 2014-02-14.
  30. ↑ "The Grass is always Bluer on the other side: rural LTE launched in Kentucky". TeleGeography. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2013-07-28.
  31. ↑ "AT&T to rural carriers: Seek LTE interoperability with Sprint, T-Mobile". FierceBroadbandWireless. 2012-09-16. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
  32. ↑ "AT&T does an about-face, will support 700 MHz interoperability". FierceWireless. 2013-09-10. Retrieved 2014-02-14.

External links