Wave Issue 0106 2/2/01 Article 2-01

***FCC Delays Wireless Auction Until September
(February 2)

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced it
would delay an auction for wireless spectrum until September 12,
2001, effectively granting a request made by Verizon Wireless and
several other carriers. The auction, at which the FCC will sell
off slices of wireless airwaves in the 747-762 and 777-792 MHz
band, had been scheduled to begin on March 6th.

But on January 18th, Verizon filed a request that the commission
delay the auction on the grounds that it would come too quickly
on the heels of the FCC's most recent auction, and that carriers
would not have enough time to accurately assess their need for
further spectrum.

The added time also will give companies that participated in that
auction more time to muster the funds needed to buy more
spectrum. In a partnership with a smaller carrier, Verizon
Wireless spent more than $9 billion - more than half of the total
raised in the entire auction - to purchase 113 licenses, roughly
one-quarter of those placed on the auction block.

The FCC said a majority of carriers that filed comments on
Verizon's request for delay supported the move. FCC Commissioner
Harold Furchtgott-Roth, who also announced he would not seek a
second term of office, disagreed with the action, saying prior
delays had already extended a process that should have been
completed last September.

www.fcc.gov