FCC Reverses Again on 600MHzFCC Reverses Again on 600MHz

The FCC has gone back to TV broadcasters to try and set a price for a reduced amount of 600MHz low-band spectrum to be auctioned for mobile broadband use.

The new "reverse auction" started on September 13 to set the price for 114MHz of 600MHz spectrum to be sold. The first stage of bids for 126MHz of 600MHz didn't reach the target price of $86.4 billion. (!)

"A second stage forward auction will follow the conclusion of the reverse," Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Tom Wheeler told Congress this week. We don't yet know when this will happen.

"Getting the transition right is as important as getting the auction itself right," Wheeler told Congress. "We continue to prioritize planning for an efficient and effective transition with minimal disruption to the viewing public. With the continued engagement of industry stakeholders, that’s exactly what we'll get."

What that means is that it will take 39 months to get the broadcasters off the spectrum after the auction is completed. We don't yet know when the auction will be finished.

For more:

— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light Reading