Auction 43: Multi-Radio Service

General information and associated licensing parameters are provided below. Public Notices provide specific information regarding this auction. This fact sheet includes:

• Key Dates
• Licenses Offered
• Permissible Operations
• License Period
• Bidding Credits
• Tribal Land Bidding Credits
• Incumbents
• Licensing Rules

The licenses available in this auction were either unsold from a previous auction or were defaulted on by a winning bidder in a previous auction. The 220 MHz and 800 MHz SMR spectrum were licensed in various Economic Areas (EAs). Licenses were also available in the 220 MHz Service by Economic Area Groupings (EAGs).

220 MHz- A total of 4 licenses were available in the Phase II 220 MHz Service. Two licenses were offered in Economic Areas (EAs), and two licenses in Economic Area Groupings (EAGs). Each channel encompasses a base frequency and a mobile frequency which are 1 MHz separated. (See 47 C.F.R. § 90.715)

800 MHz SMR- A total of 23 General Category licenses were awarded in this auction. Each channel encompasses a base frequency and a mobile frequency which are 45 MHz separated. (See 47 C.F.R. § 90.613)

A complete listing of licenses for Auction No. 43 is provided in Attachment A of Public Notice DA 01-2315.

This auction was initially scheduled to include 42 multilateration licenses in the Location and Monitoring Service, however, the auction of these licenses was posted until a later date (See Public Notice DA 01-2762).

220 MHz- Licensees authorized in the Phase II 220 MHz Service will be able to provide voice, data, paging and fixed communications.

800 MHz SMR- 800 MHz licensees may provide analog or digital services used for voice communications, paging, data and facsimile services. The SMR marketplace is allowing new acknowledgement paging and inventory tracking, credit card authorization, automatic vehicle location, fleet management, remote database access and voicemail.

220 MHz- Licenses are issued for a ten-year term from the initial license grant date. An EA or Regional licensee is required to construct a sufficient number of base stations to provide coverage to at least one-third of the population of its EA or REAG within five years of initial license grant and at least two-thirds of the population of its EA or REAG within ten years of initial license grant. (See 47 C.F.R. § 90.767)

800 MHz SMR- Licenses are issued for a ten-year term from the initial license grant date. Licensees have a renewal expectancy based on the provision of substantial service and substantial compliance with applicable Commission rules, policies, and the Communications Act. (See 47 C.F.R. § 90.685)

A winning bidder that intends to use its license(s) to deploy facilities and provide services to federally-recognized tribal lands that are unserved by any telecommunications carrier or that have a telephone service penetration rate equal to or below 70 percent is eligible to receive a tribal land bidding credit as set forth in 47 C.F.R. § 1.2107 and 1.2110(f). A tribal land bidding credit is in addition to, and separate from, any other bidding credit for which a winning bidder may qualify.

Unlike other bidding credits that are requested prior to the auction, a winning bidder applies for the tribal land bidding credit after winning the auction when it files its long-form application (FCC Form 601). In order for a winning bidder to be awarded a tribal land bidding credit, it must provide specific certifications regarding the servicing of tribal lands and is subject to specific performance criteria as set forth in 47 C.F.R. § 1.2110(f).

Additional information on the tribal land bidding credit, including how the amount of the credit is calculated, can be found on the Commission's web site by going to Tribal Land Bidding Credits.

220 MHz- There are a number of incumbent Phase I 220 MHz licensees already licensed and operating on these frequencies. Such incumbents must be protected from harmful interference by Phase II 220 MHz licensees in accordance with the Commission's Rules. These limitations may restrict the ability of such geographic area licensees to use certain portions of the electromagnetic spectrum or provide service to certain areas in their geographic license areas.

800 MHz SMR- Incumbent licensees are present in the 800 MHz SMR bands. Incumbent 800 SMR systems are entitled to co-channel protection by EA licensees, as well as adjacent channel interference protection. Incumbent systems, however, are not allowed to expand beyond existing service areas unless they obtain the EA license for the relevant channels. (See 47 C.F.R. § 90.693)