FCC Delinks 700 MHz D BlockFCC Delinks 700 MHz D Block

WASHINGTON -- Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an Order de-linking the Upper 700 MHz D Block from the other blocks offered in the 700 MHz Auction (Auction 73), which closed on March 18, 2008. The D Block did not meet its $1.3 billion reserve price established in advance of the auction, while the other blocks – the A, B, C, and E Blocks – met and exceeded their reserve prices. The Commission is committed to making this spectrum available for use quickly after the DTV transition on February 17, 2009. Today’s action enables the FCC to proceed with releasing the information on the winning bidders in the A, B, C, and E Blocks and to move forward with licensing this spectrum. The FCC decided that it will not re-offer the D Block immediately in Auction 76 but will consider its options for how to license this spectrum in the future.

In July 2007, the FCC adopted rules for the 700 MHz Band spectrum that included the creation of a 10-megahertz license in the D Block to be part of a 700 MHz Public Safety/Private Partnership with the adjacent Public Safety Broadband Licensee. The 700 MHz Public Safety/Private Partnership was designed to achieve the important public policy goal of helping to solve public safety’s interoperability problems and allow police, fire and other first responders to better communicate with one another in times of emergency. The FCC remains committed to this goal.

The anti-collusion rules for the 700 MHz Auction will remain in effect until the down payment deadline, which will be ten business days after the release of the Closing Public Notice.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)