FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau grants Dish permission to use 20 megahertz of AWS-4 spectrum at 2000-2020 MHz

The Federal Communications Commission’s Wireless Telecommunications Bureau grants waivers of the FCC’s rules, subject to certain conditions, in response to a petition filed by DISH Network Corporation to provide DISH with flexibility to use 20 megahertz of Advanced Wireless Services-4 (AWS-4) spectrum at 2000-2020 MHz, the lower AWS-4 band, for uplink or downlink operations.

The waiver is subject to DISH meeting the following two conditions:

1. DISH must bid in the upcoming H Block auction “either directly or indirectly through an affiliated entity or designated entity, at least a net clearing price” equal to the aggregate reserve price set for that auction of $1.564 billion.
2. DISH must file its uplink or downlink election, which shall apply to all AWS-4 licenses, as soon as commercially practicable but no later than 30 months after the release date of this Memorandum Opinion and Order

The Commission rejects NTCH’s various arguments requesting that we deny or delay consideration of the DISH Petition.