Media Contact:
Charlie Meisch, (202) 418-2943
Charles.Meisch@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
FCC REAFFIRMS DECISION TO RESERVE SPECTRUM
TO PROMOTE COMPETITION IN 2016 INCENTIVE AUCTION
Commission Maintains Spectrum Reserve of Up to 30 Megahertz in 2016 Incentive Auction
--
WASHINGTON, August 6, 2015 - The Federal Communications Commission reaffirmed its
decision to establish a market-based spectrum reserve of up to 30 megahertz of spectrum in next
year's incentive auction in order to promote competition in the wireless marketplace. Non-
nationwide providers as well as nationwide providers who currently hold less than one-third of
available high-quality low-band spectrum in a given license area will be eligible to utilize this
first-of-its-kind reserve.
With this vote, the Commission denied a petition for reconsideration asking the Commission to
increase the reserve to at least 40 megahertz for qualified licensees.
In the May 2014 Mobile Spectrum Holdings Report & Order, the Commission voted to reserve up
to 30 megahertz of spectrum within the 600 MHz band to promote competition. Those rules
established a market-based reserve of no more than 30 megahertz of spectrum for non-nationwide
providers as well as nationwide providers that hold less than one-third of available low-band
spectrum in a license area. The Commission also established a spectrum reserve trigger to ensure
that both reserve-eligible and non-reserve-eligible bidders bear a fair share of the cost of the
incentive auction.
Commission policies related to the spectrum reserve are designed to strike a balance among a
number of objectives, including making additional low-band spectrum available to multiple
providers, ensuring that all bidders have an opportunity to acquire a stake in the 600 MHz
ecosystem, and ensuring competitive bidding. The reserve is designed to protect against excessive
concentration in holdings of low-band spectrum, while also promoting competition by bidders for
both reserved and unreserved spectrum.
With yesterday's vote, the Commission also denied a petition asking the FCC to reconsider its
decision in the May 2014 Order not to adopt specific weighting factors that would apply to
different spectrum bands when examining the effects of sales of spectrum between two parties in
a given geographic market.
Action by the Commission August 5, 2015 by Order on Reconsideration (FCC 15-79). Chairman
Wheeler, Commissioners Rosenworcel and O'Rielly; Commissioner Clyburn approving and
dissenting in part; and Commissioner Pai concurring. Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners
Clyburn, Pai and O'Rielly issuing statements.
WT Docket No. 12-269; GN Docket No. 12-268
###
Office of Media Relations: (202) 418-0500
TTY: (888) 835-5322
Twitter: @FCC
www.fcc.gov/office-media-relations
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order
constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).
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