Spectrum Management: Auctions

An update of a CRS report on spectrum auctions. In the 109th Congress, the Deficit Reduction Act (P.L. 109-171) included provisions that placed certain auction proceeds in a Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Fund. The fund is being mainly used to assist the transition from analog television broadcasting to digital broadcasting, and for contributions to programs for public safety. Over $7 billion of the auction proceeds were applied to deficit reduction. The funding came from the auction of spectrum (at 700 MHz) currently used for analog television broadcasting, to be vacated by February 17, 2009. The auction, Auction 73, concluded on March 18,2008; it grossed $19,592,420,000.