On Monday, October 7, 2019, the Office of Economics and Analytics, in conjunction with the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, released a Public Notice (“Notice”) announcing the status of the 39 short-form applications received for Auction 103, the auction of UMFUS licenses in the Upper 37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz bands. The Notice provides important information regarding deadlines and application procedures for Auction 103, which is scheduled to begin December 10, 2019.
The Notice lists the 29 applications that have been accepted for filing and designated as complete in Attachment A, as well as the 10 incomplete applications in Attachment B. Each of the complete applicants will become a qualified bidder upon the Commission’s receipt of the upfront payment by 6:00 pm ET on October 22, 2019. A winning bidder must submit a long-form application after the close of the auction to demonstrate its qualifications to hold a license, and if a bidding credit is requested, its eligibility for the bidding credit. Incomplete applicants must resubmit their applications and submit the upfront payment by the October 22, 2019 deadline.
The Commission reminds applicants that the rules prohibiting certain communications apply to each applicant that filed a short-form application (FCC Form 175) in Auction 103. This rule also applies to communications between a short-form applicant and any 39 GHz incumbent, even if the incumbent did not file an FCC Form 175. The prohibited communications period will end at the post-auction down payment deadline, to be announced in a future public notice. The prohibition applies to all applicants regardless of whether such applicants become qualified bidders or actually bid in Auction 103. Further, the Notice reminds applicants that the Commission is withholding from public release any information that may indicate specific applicants’ interests in the auction until after the close of bidding, and therefore any non-public information disclosure may violate the prohibited communications rule.
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