Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler has offered some thoughts on how the FCC will proceed with the planned incentive auction for the 600MHz television spectrum.
Wheeler noted that the FCC wants the auction process to work smoothly for all parties involved, and the FCC understands just how complex the process will be. With that in mind, Wheeler believes the FCC and other parties involved with the procedures can hold the auction by the middle of 2015. This is later than the FCC originally believed it could hold the auction, representing a delay. The auction is a reverse auction that will offer television channels money to give up the rights to their broadcast spectrum. The winners of the auction will gain slices of 600MHz airwaves, which are to be used for mobile broadband services. A special Task Force will present an in-depth series of steps, including timelines and milestones, next month.
This incentive auction is separate from another auction, for H Block spectrum, that’s scheduled to begin in late January.
