Summary

December 8, 2020 - February 17, 2021
Qualified Bidders:
57
Winning Bidders:
21
Licenses Held by FCC:
0
Gross Bids:
$81,168,677,645
Net Bids:
$81,114,481,921
General Information

Attachment A File — PEA Information, Upfront Payments, and Minimum Opening Bids

4/6/2022
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 22-332)
WTB Grants Auction 107 Licenses

7/23/2021
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 21-839)
WTB Grants Auction 107 Licenses

7/23/2021
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (DA 21-891)
WTB and OEA Review Auction 107 Applications

4/2/2021
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 21-380)
WTB Announces Applications Accepted for Filing

2/24/2021
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 21-207)
FCC Announces Winning Bidders of 3.7 GHz Service Auction

2/24/2021
NEWS RELEASE
FCC Announces Winning Bidders in C-Band Auction

1/26/2021
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 21-80)
Auction 107 Assignment Phase Information and Schedule

1/15/2021
NEWS RELEASE
First Phase of Record-Breaking 5G Spectrum Auction Concludes

12/8/2020
NEWS RELEASE
FCC Begins Major 5G Spectrum Auction
The FCC kicked off its latest 5G spectrum auction, making available 280 megahertz of prime mid-band spectrum in the 3.7-3.98 GHz band—a portion of the C-band

11/19/2020
ORDER (FCC 20-165)
FCC Denies C-Band Application for Review
This Memorandum Opinion and Order denies the Application for Review filed by ACA Connects on August 13, 2020, of the Public Notice by WTB Setting Lump-Sum Payment Amounts for the 3.7 GHz Transition

11/18/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-1370)
Notice on Ex Parte Status of Certain C-Band Transition Communications
This Public Notice is intended to set forth the Commission's ex parte rules as applied to presentations regarding the 3.7 GHz band transition by the Relocation Coordinator and Clearinghouse

11/12/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-1333)
Auction 107 (3.7 GHz Service) Qualified Bidders
Identifies 57 applicants qualified to bid in Auction 107 (3.7 GHz Service)

Fact Sheet

Winning Bidders:
21
Qualified Bidders:
57
Licenses Won:
5684
Licenses Held by FCC:
0
Total Licenses:
5684
Net Bids:
$81,114,481,921
Gross Bids:
$81,168,677,645

Date

Auction 107 bidding is scheduled to begin on 12/8/2020

Licenses

5,684 licenses

14 sub-blocks in each of 406 available PEAs

Spectrum

3.7 – 3.98 GHz band

Bandwidth

The A Block will cover 100 megahertz from 3.7–3.8 GHz in five 20-megahertz sub-blocks:  3700–3720 MHz (A1), 3720–3740 MHz (A2), 3740–3760 MHz (A3), 3760–3780 MHz (A4), and 3780–3800 MHz (A5). 

The B Block will cover 100 megahertz from 3.8–3.9 GHz in five 20-megahertz sub-blocks:  3800–3820 MHz (B1), 3820–3840 MHz (B2), 3840–3860 MHz (B3), 3860–3880 MHz (B4), and 3880–3900 MHz (B5). 

The C Block will cover 80 megahertz from 3.9–3.98 GHz in four 20-megahertz sub-blocks:  3900–3920 MHz (C1), 3920–3940 MHz (C2), 3940–3960 MHz (C3), and 3960–3980 MHz (C4). 

The 20 megahertz at 3980–4000 MHz will be a guard band and not available for auction.

 

General auction information and associated licensing information is provided below.  This fact sheet includes:

 

Key Dates

Event

Date

Short-Form Application (FCC Form 175) Filing Window opens

9/9/2020, 12:00 pm Eastern Time (ET)

Short-Form Application (FCC Form 175) Filing Deadline

9/22/2020, 6:00 pm ET

Upfront Payment Deadline

11/2/2020, 6:00 pm ET

Clock Phase Mock Auction

12/3/2020

Clock Phase Bidding Starts

12/8/2020

Assignment Phase Mock Auction

2/4/2021

Assignment Phase Bidding Starts

2/8/2021

 

Auction Participation

In order to participate in Auction 107, you must (1) submit a short-form application (FCC Form 175) prior to 6:00 pm ET on September 22, 2020, and (2) submit a sufficient upfront payment by 6:00 pm ET on November 2, 2020.  Moreover, you must comply with applicable Commission rules and all provisions outlined in the Auction 107 Procedures Public Notice and any additional Auction 107 public notices, which can be found in the Releases section of this web page. 

In addition, under the Education section, interested parties will find additional helpful tools for participating in the auction, including an application tutorial, application filing instructions, and bidding technical guides.

 

Licenses Offered

Auction 107 will offer 5,684 new flexible‐use overlay licenses for spectrum in the 3.7–3.98 GHz band throughout the contiguous United States subject to clearing requirements.

The 280 megahertz of spectrum available in Auction 107 will be licensed on an unpaired basis in three blocks divided into 20-megahertz sub-blocks by partial economic area (PEA) in the contiguous states and the District of Columbia (PEAs 1–41, 43–211, 213–263, 265–297, 299–359, and 361–411).  Specifically, the A Block will cover 100 megahertz from 3.7–3.8 GHz in five 20-megahertz sub-blocks:  3700–3720 MHz (A1), 3720–3740 MHz (A2), 3740–3760 MHz (A3), 3760–3780 MHz (A4), and 3780–3800 MHz (A5).  The B Block will cover 100 megahertz from 3.8–3.9 GHz in five 20-megahertz sub-blocks:  3800–3820 MHz (B1), 3820–3840 MHz (B2), 3840–3860 MHz (B3), 3860–3880 MHz (B4), and 3880–3900 MHz (B5).  The C Block will cover 80 megahertz from 3.9–3.98 GHz in four 20-megahertz sub-blocks:  3900–3920 MHz (C1), 3920–3940 MHz (C2), 3940–3960 MHz (C3), and 3960–3980 MHz (C4).  The 20 megahertz at 3980–4000 MHz will be a guard band and not available for auction.

Flexible-use overlay licenses will not be issued for Honolulu, Anchorage, Kodiak, Fairbanks, Juneau, Puerto Rico, Guam-Northern Mariana Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Gulf of Mexico (PEAs 42, 212, 264, 298, 360, 412–416).

Potential applicants in Auction 107 should pay particular attention to the framework adopted in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order that requires new overlay licensees to pay a specified share of accelerated relocation payments as well as relocation expenses to reimburse incumbents for the reasonable costs of transitioning out of the lower 300 megahertz of the band in the contiguous United States.

 

3.7 GHz Service Band Plan

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On June 1, 2020, WTB announced that incumbent satellite operators had, in aggregate, made sufficient commitments to clear the 3.7–4.0 GHz band on the accelerated timeline described in the 3.7 GHz Report and Order, thereby triggering accelerated clearing of the band.  As a result, licenses in the A Block in 46 of the top 50 PEAs—PEAs 1–4, 6–10, 12–19, 21–41, and 43–50—will be subject to the Phase I accelerated relocation deadline of December 5, 2021, and licenses in the B and C Blocks in the 46 PEAs and in the A, B, and C Blocks in the remaining 360 PEAs will be subject to the Phase II accelerated relocation deadline of December 5, 2023.

 

 

Permissible Operations

A licensee in the 3.7–3.98 GHz band may provide any services permitted under terrestrial fixed or mobile allocations, as set forth in the non-Federal Government column of the Table of Frequency Allocations in section 2.106 of the Commission’s rules.

 

License Period and Construction Requirements

License Period

Initial authorizations will have a term not to exceed 15 years from the date of initial issuance or renewal.  (See 47 CFR § 27.13(m))

 

Construction Requirements

Licensees in the 3.7 GHz Service relying on mobile or point-to-multipoint service shall provide reliable signal coverage and offer service within eight (8) years from the date of the initial license to at least forty-five (45) percent of the population in each of its license areas (“First Buildout Requirement”). Licensee shall provide reliable signal coverage and offer service within twelve (12) years from the date of the initial license to at least eighty (80) percent of the population in each of its license areas (“Second Buildout Requirement”). Licensees relying on point-to-point service shall demonstrate within eight years of the license issue date that they have four links operating and providing service to customers or for internal use if the population within the license area is equal to or less than 268,000 and, if the population is greater than 268,000, that they have at least one link in operation and providing service to customers, or for internal use, per every 67,000 persons within a license area (“First Buildout Requirement”). Licensees relying on point-to-point service shall demonstrate within 12 years of the license issue date that they have eight links operating and providing service to customers or for internal use if the population within the license area is equal to or less than 268,000 and, if the population within the license area is greater than 268,000, shall demonstrate they are providing service and have at least two links in operation per every 67,000 persons within a license area (“Second Buildout Requirement”).

In the alternative, a licensee offering Internet of Things-type services shall provide geographic area coverage within eight (8) years from the date of the initial license to thirty-five (35) percent of the license (“First Buildout Requirement”). A licensee offering Internet of Things-type services shall provide geographic area coverage within twelve (12) years from the date of the initial license to sixty-five (65) percent of the license (“Second Buildout Requirement”).

If a licensee fails to establish that it meets the First Buildout Requirement for a particular license area, the licensee’s Second Buildout Requirement deadline and license term will be reduced by two years. If a licensee fails to establish that it meets the Second Buildout Requirement for a particular license area, its authorization for each license area in which it fails to meet the Second Buildout Requirement shall terminate automatically without Commission action, and the licensee will be ineligible to regain it if the Commission makes the license available at a later date.

3.7 GHz Service licensees shall demonstrate compliance with performance requirements by filing a construction notification with the Commission, within 15 days of the expiration of the applicable benchmark, in accordance with the provisions set forth in § 1.946(d) of the Commission’s rules.  To demonstrate compliance with these performance requirements, licensees shall use the most recently available decennial U.S. Census Data at the time of measurement and shall base their measurements of population or geographic area served on areas no larger than the Census Tract level. The population or area within a specific Census Tract (or other acceptable identifier) will be deemed served by the licensee only if it provides reliable signal coverage to and offers service within the specific Census Tract (or other acceptable identifier). To the extent the Census Tract (or other acceptable identifier) extends beyond the boundaries of a license area, a licensee with authorizations for such areas may include only the population or geographic area within the Census Tract (or other acceptable identifier) towards meeting the performance requirement of a single, individual license. If a licensee does not provide reliable signal coverage to an entire license area, the license must provide a map that accurately depicts the boundaries of the area or areas within each license area not being served. Each licensee also must file supporting documentation certifying the type of service it is providing for each licensed area within its service territory and the type of technology used to provide such service. Supporting documentation must include the assumptions used to create the coverage maps, including the propagation model and the signal strength necessary to provide reliable service with the licensee’s technology.

(See 47 § 27.14(v))

 

Bidding Credits

Bidding credit discounts will be available to those applicants that demonstrate that they are eligible small businesses or rural service providers and win one or more licenses at auction. 

An applicant may claim either a small business bidding credit or a rural service provider bidding credit, but not both.  Each applicant must also certify that it is eligible for the claimed bidding credit in its FCC Form 175.  Each applicant should review carefully the Commission’s decisions regarding the designated entity provisions as well as the Part 1 rules. 

 

Small Business Bidding Credits

Bidding credits will be available to eligible small businesses and consortia thereof, subject to the caps discussed below.  Under the service rules applicable to the 3.7 GHz Service licenses to be offered in Auction 107, the level of bidding credits available is determined as follows: 

A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues that do not exceed $55 million for the preceding five years is eligible to receive a 15% discount on its winning bid.

A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues that do not exceed $20 million for the preceding five years is eligible to receive a 25% discount on its winning bid.

Small business bidding credits are not cumulative; an eligible applicant may receive either the 15% or the 25% bidding credit discount on its winning bid, but not both.  The Commission’s unjust enrichment provisions apply to a winning bidder that uses a bidding credit and subsequently seeks to assign or transfer control of its license within a certain period to an entity not qualifying for at least the same level of small business bidding credit.

 

Rural Service Provider Bidding Credit

An applicant that is eligible for a rural service provider bidding credit will receive a 15% discount on its winning bid(s), subject to the $10 million cap discussed below.  To be eligible, an applicant must (1) be a service provider that is in the business of providing commercial communications services and, together with its controlling interests, affiliates, and the affiliates of its controlling interests, have fewer than 250,000 combined wireless, wireline, broadband, and cable subscribers; and (2) serve predominantly rural areas, defined as counties with a population density of 100 or fewer persons per square mile.  These eligibility requirements must be satisfied by the FCC Form 175 filing deadline.     

 

Caps on Bidding Credit Discounts

Applicants eligible for bidding credit discounts will be subject to caps on the total amount of discounts they may receive.  Specifically, an eligible small business is subject to a $25 million cap, and an eligible rural service provider is subject to a $10 million cap.  In addition, no eligible small business will be able to obtain more than $10 million in bidding credit discounts in total for licenses won in markets with a population of 500,000 or less.

 

Licensing Rules

47 CFR Parts 1, 2, and 27


 

 

Releases P

4/6/2022
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 22-332)
WTB Grants Auction 107 Licenses
This Public Notice announces that applications for Auction 107 licenses are granted

7/23/2021
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 21-839)
WTB Grants Auction 107 Licenses
This Public Notice announces that applications for Auction 107 licenses are granted

4/2/2021
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 21-380)
WTB Announces Applications Accepted for Filing
This Public Notice announces that applications for Auction 107 licenses are accepted for filing

2/24/2021
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 21-207)
FCC Announces Winning Bidders of 3.7 GHz Service Auction
Auction 107 closes; down payments and FCC Forms 601 and 602 due March 10, 2021; final payments due March 24, 2021

1/26/2021
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 21-80)
Auction 107 Assignment Phase Information and Schedule
Close of Clock Phase Bidding in Auction 107 (3.7 GHz Service); Schedule for Assignment Phase Mock Auction; Availability of Assignment Phase User Guide and Online Tutorial; Assignment Phase Bidding Begins February 8, 2021

11/18/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-1370)
Notice on Ex Parte Status of Certain C-Band Transition Communications
This Public Notice is intended to set forth the Commission's ex parte rules as applied to presentations regarding the 3.7 GHz band transition by the Relocation Coordinator and Clearinghouse

11/12/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-1333)
Auction 107 (3.7 GHz Service) Qualified Bidders
Identifies 57 applicants qualified to bid in Auction 107 (3.7 GHz Service)

10/22/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-1251)
WTB Announces C-Band Relocation Payment Clearinghouse
WTB determines that the search committee selection of CohnReznick LLP and subcontractors Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP, and Intellicom Technologies, Inc. to serve as the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse satisfies the requisite criteria

10/19/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-1227)
Auction 107 (3.7 GHz) Application Status
Announces the status of short-form applications to participate in Auction 107 (3.7 GHz Service)

9/29/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-1141)
WTB Opens Window for C-Band Transition Plan Amendments
WTB opens a limited window for eligible space station operators in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band to amend their final Transition Plans to reflect lump sum elections and other approved earth station updates

9/16/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-1094)
IB and WTB Announce C-Band Incumbent Earth Station Waiver Guidance
IB and WTB announce guidance for potential waiver requests to permit incumbent earth station operators to amend their registrations for additional, existing co-located antennas for interference protection purposes

8/14/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (FCC 20-110)
WTB Seeks Comment on ACA Connects Request for Stay
WTB seeks comment on a request by ACA Connects that the Commission stay the deadline for earth station operators to make lump sum elections pending resolution of a concurrently filed Application for Review

8/7/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (FCC 20-110)
FCC Establishes Bidding Procedures for C-Band Auction
FCC establishes bidding procedures for C-Band auction beginning December 8, 2020

8/7/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-848)
Technical Guides Available for Auction 107 Bidding Procedures
Announces the availability of technical guides that provide examples and additional technical and mathematical details regarding the clock and assignment phase bidding procedures for Auction 107

8/3/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-827)
WTB Seeks Comment on C-Band Relocation Coordinator Selection
WTB seeks comment on whether the Relocation Coordinator selected by eligible space station operators satisfies the requisite selection criteria

8/3/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-828)
WTB Seeks Comment on C-Band Relocation Payment Clearinghouse Selection
WTB seeks comment on whether the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse selected by a committee of stakeholders satisfies the requisite criteria

7/30/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-802)
WTB Releases Final C-Band Cost Category Schedule for Relocation Expenses and Announces Process and Deadline for Lump Sum Elections
With this Public Notice, WTB releases the 3.7 GHz Transition Final Cost Category Schedule and the optional lump sum payment amounts for eligible incumbent FSS earth station operators and announces the process and deadline for lump sum elections

6/18/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-644)
WTB Seeks Comment on PSSI Global Services, L.L.C. Request for Stay
WTB seeks comment on a request that the Commission stay, pending judicial review, the rules adopted in the Expanding Flexible Use of the 3.7 to 4.2 GHz Band Report and Order and Order of Proposed Modification, filed by PSSI Global Services, L.L.C.

6/18/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-642)
WTB Sets New Docket And Comment Process For C-Band Transition Plans
With this Public Notice, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) establishes GN Docket No. 20-173, which is captioned "Eligible Satellite Operator Transition Plans for the 3.7-4.2 GHz Band."

6/8/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-599)
WTB Announces Relocation Payment Clearinghouse RFP Criteria Deadlines
WTB announces that it has received an RFP with the selection criteria and filing instructions for proposals for the Relocation Payment Clearinghouse in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band transition

6/4/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-586)
WTB Seeks Comment On Optional Lump Sum Payments For 3.7-4.2 GHz Band
WTB invites interested parties to provide additional comment on the preliminary lump sum categories and payment amounts available to FSS incumbent earth station operators

6/1/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-578)
WTB Announces Accelerated Clearing in the 3.7-4.2 GHz Band
Announces that certain space station operators have committed to clear the 3.7-4.0 GHz band on an accelerated timeline

3/5/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 20-231)
Technical Guides Available for Proposed Auction 107 Bidding Procedures
Announces availability of guides that provide technical and mathematical details regarding the proposed bidding procedures for the clock and assignment phases of Auction 107

3/3/2020
PUBLIC NOTICE (FCC 20-23)
FCC Proposes, Seeks Comment on C-Band Auction Procedures
FCC Seeks Comment On Bidding Procedures For December 8, 2020, C-Band Auction

Releases O

 

7/23/2021
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (DA 21-891)
WTB and OEA Review Auction 107 Applications
The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics review certain Auction 107 long-form applications and find that their grant will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity

11/19/2020
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (FCC 20-165)
FCC Denies C-Band Application for Review
This Memorandum Opinion and Order denies the Application for Review filed by ACA Connects on August 13, 2020, of the Public Notice by WTB Setting Lump-Sum Payment Amounts for the 3.7 GHz Transition

9/25/2020
ORDER (DA 20-1133)
WTB Announces C-Band Relocation Coordinator
WTB announces that RSM US LLP satisfies the selection criteria established by the Commission in the 3.7 GHz Band Report and Order and will serve as the Relocation Coordinator for the 3.7-4.2 GHz transition process

8/31/2020
ORDER (DA 20-998)
WTB Denies Request for Stay by ACA Connects
WTB denies a stay request from ACA Connects of the lump sum election deadline under the 3.7 GHz Report and Order, pending resolution of a concurrently filed Application for Review and any ensuing judicial review

8/26/2020
ORDER (FCC 20-118)
Commission Denies C-Band Section 316 Protest Order
By this Order, the Commission denies the Section 316 protest filed by the ABS Global Ltd., Empresa Argentina de Soluciones Satelitales S.A., Hispamar Satélites S.A., and Hispasat S.A. and hereby adopts the proposed modifications to their licenses

7/8/2020
ORDER (DA 20-720)
Wireless Bureau Denies PSSI Stay Request
The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau denies a request from PSSI Global Services, LLC that the Commission stay, pending judicial review, the 3.7 GHz Report and Order and Order of Proposed Modification

6/12/2020
ORDER (DA 20-621)
WTB Extends Time For Operators to File C-Band Transition Plans
WTB grants a seven day extension of time to all eligible C-band space station operators to file their Transition Plans

6/12/2020
ORDER (DA 20-622)
WTB Denies Extension Request for Comments on C-Band Lump Sum PN
WTB Denies Joint Request by ACA and NCTA for Extension of Time and to Disclose Lump Sum Assumptions and Methodology

6/10/2020
ORDER (DA 20-609)
Order Denying Petition for Stay of 3.7 GHz Report and Order
WTB denies the Joint Petition for Stay Pending Judicial Review of 3.7 GHz Report and Order filed by ABS Global Ltd. et al

3/3/2020
ORDER (FCC 20-22)
3.7 GHz Report and Order
Makes 280 megahertz of the 3.7-4.2 GHz Band available for 5G services while relocating existing satellite operations to the upper part of the band

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