Dingell worried by D block spectrum sale

DINGELL WORRIED ABOUT D BLOCK SPECTRUM SALE
[SOURCE: Reuters, AUTHOR: Peter Kaplan]
House Commerce Committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) said the Federal Communications Commission was "having real problems" finding a bidder to meet the minimum price for the "D" block of 700 megahertz wireless spectrum, which is to be shared with public safety agencies. Chairman Dingell said it was too soon to say what the FCC should do if the D block spectrum does not sell. But he questioned whether the agency had done a good job in setting up the sale of the D block. "I'm not going to say that it indicates mismanagement. I'm going to ask you though: Does it indicate good management? And I have to say if that question is asked of me: It doesn't."
http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN0741141120080207
* Spectrum Auction Update: Dingell Pleased with Results
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6530725.html?rssid=193

* Spectrum Auction Update: Little Activity Through Round 45
The Federal Communications Commission's 700-megahertz spectrum auction continued Thursday with five more half-hour rounds but little bidding activity. Starting Friday, there will be six rounds of 25 minutes each. As the bidding cools off, the rounds proliferate and shorten to try to goose the process. The auction ends when there are no new bids in a round. The most recent round had 174 bids. The FCC is auctioning five blocks of spectrum, with all having to meet their floor prices or be reauctioned. Four of the five have already done so, with only the D block stuck at $472 million, about one-third of its floor price. That is the block that can also be used as a national network, but one that must be shared with first-responders. The FCC has to return at least $10 billion to the treasury, so it set floor prices that added up to that $10 billion amount. But the commission can't change the auction rules in midstream, so even though collectively, the bids are almost double that $10 million figure, it must still reauction the D block.
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6530239.html?rssid=193