Auction 61: Automated Maritime Telecommunications System

Event	Date
Pre-Auction Seminar	5/25/2005
Form 175 (Short Form) Application Filing Window Opens	5/25/2005; 12:00 noon ET
Form 175 (Short Form) Application Filing Deadline	6/9/2005; 6:00 pm ET
Upfront Payments Deadline	7/8/2005; 6:00 pm ET
Mock Auction	8/1/2005
Auction Start	8/3/2005
Auction Closed	8/17/2005

Licenses Offered

Auction No. 61 will include 10 AMTS licenses in a specialized system of public coast stations in the 217/219 MHz band. A complete list of licenses for Auction No. 61 and their descriptions is provided in Attachment A of Public Notice DA 05-1047. The AMTSAs are based on, and composed of one or more of, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s 172 Economic Areas (EAs). In addition, the Commission treats Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Gulf of Mexico as EA-like areas. Each AMTSA also includes the adjacent waters under the jurisdiction of the United States.

The following table describes the licenses that will be auctioned in each of the AMTSAs:

Block	Frequency Bands (MHz)	Total Bandwidth	Pairing	Geographic Area Type	No. of Licenses
A	217.5 – 218.0 / 219.5 – 220.0	1 MHz	2 x 500 kHz	AMTSA	9
B	217.0 – 217.5 / 219.0 – 219.5	1 MHz	2 x 500 kHz	AMTSA	1

Note: The above table displays the band edges of spectrum blocks A and B using the twenty 25 kHz channels that comprise each block as listed in 47 C.F.R. § 80.385(a)(2). It should be noted that pursuant to 47 C.F.R. § 80.481, licensees are not required to use 25 kHz channelization and may choose any channelization scheme; however, regardless of the channelization scheme used, emissions at these band edges must be attenuated within the limitation that would be required under 47 C.F.R. § 80.211 if the licensee were using 25 kHz channels.

For Auction No. 61, licenses are not available in each spectrum block in every market. See Attachment A of Public Notice DA 05-1047 for a complete listing of the licenses to be offered.

Permissible Operations

AMTS is a specialized system of coast stations providing integrated and interconnected marine voice and data communications, somewhat like a cellular phone system, for tugs, barges, and other vessels on waterways. Service to units on land is permitted, so long as marine-originating communications receive priority.

License Period

AMTS geographic area licenses are issued for a ten-year term beginning on the date of the initial authorization grant. 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 Third Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd at 19871 33).

Each AMTS geographic area licensee must provide “substantial service” within ten years, i.e., at the time of license renewal.

Bidding Credit

Bidding credits are available to small or very small businesses or consortia thereof, as defined in 47 C.F.R. § 80.1252 . A bidding credit is a payment discount on a winning bid determined at the conclusion of the bidding process. The size of the bidding credit depends on the average of the aggregated annual gross revenues for each of the preceding three years of the bidder, its affiliates, its controlling interests, and the affiliates of its controlling interests:

A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues of not more than $15 million for the preceding three years receives a 25 percent discount on its winning bid(s) for the AMTS license(s);
A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues of not more than $3 million for the preceding three years receives a 35 percent discount on its winning bid(s) for the AMTS license(s).

Small business bidding credits are not cumulative. A qualifying applicant receives either the 25 percent or the 35 percent bidding credit on its winning bid, but only one credit per license.

Tribal Land Bidding Credit

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 wireline penetration rate equal to or below 85 percent is eligible to receive a tribal land bidding credit as set forth in 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.2107(e) 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. A winning bidder need not qualify for a small business bidding credit to be eligible for a tribal lands bidding credit.

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 first 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 auction web site at Tribal Land Bidding Credits.

Incumbents

Geographic area licensees must locate their stations at least 120 kilometers from the station of co-channel site-based AMTS licensees. Shorter separations between stations will be considered by the Commission on a case-by-case basis upon submission of a technical analysis indicating that at least 18 dB protection will be provided to a site-based licensee’s predicted 38 dBu signal contour. Geographic area licensees must also coordinate to minimize interference at or near their geographic area borders, and must cooperate to resolve any instances of interference in accordance with the provisions of 80.70(a).

Incumbents are prohibited from renewing, transferring, assigning, or modifying their licenses in any manner that extends their system’s service area or results in their acquiring additional frequencies, unless there is consent from each affected geographic area licensee. If an incumbent fails to construct, discontinues operations, or otherwise has its license terminated, the spectrum covered by the incumbent’s authorization will automatically revert to the geographic area licensee.

In addition, AMTS licensees that cause interference to television reception or to the U.S. Navy SPASUR system must cure the problem or discontinue operations. Also, law enforcement tracking operations are currently authorized on a primary basis in certain markets in AMTSAs 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10 on a frequency in block A. These operations are scheduled to be converted to non-AMTS frequencies by 2007.

Licensing Rules

47 C.F.R. Part 80

Releases P

8/23/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-2316)
Auction of Automated Maritime Telecommunications System Licenses Closes; Winning Bidders Announced for Auction No. 61
The WTB announces the winning bidders for the Automated Maritime Telecommunications System Licenses Auction No. 61.

7/22/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA-05-2032)
Auction of Automated Maritime Telecommunications System Licenses, Seven Bidders Qualified to Participate in Auction No. 61
The WTB identifies seven applicants found to be qualified to participate in the upcoming AMTS Auction No. 61 scheduled to begin on Wednesday August 3, 2005.

6/28/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-1713)
Auction of Automated Maritime Telecommunications System Licenses; Status of FCC Form 175 Applications to Participate in Auction No. 61
This public notice announces the status of seven short-form applications received by the Commission to participate in the upcoming auction of 10 Automated Maritime Telecommunications System ("AMTS") licenses (Auction No. 61) scheduled to begin on August 3, 2005.

5/24/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-1499)
Auction of Automated Maritime Telecommunications System Licenses (Auction No. 61) Scheduled for August 3, 2005; Revised Upload Instructions for FCC Form 175 Ownership Disclosure Data
WTB announces revised procedures for uploading ownership disclosure data in the Integrated Spectrum Auction System (ISAS) for Auction No. 61 scheduled to begin on August 3, 2005. (Report No. AUC-05-61-C) (Auction No. 61)

4/21/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-1047)
Auction of Automated Maritime Telecommunications System Licenses Scheduled for August 3, 2005; Notice and Filing Requirements, Minimum Opening Bids, Upfront Payments and Other Auction Procedures for Auction No. 61
WTB, Auction Spectrum and Access Division announces the procedures and minimum opening bid amounts for the upcoming AMTS Auction No. 61 scheduled for August 3, 2005.

2/2/2005
PUBLIC NOTICE (DA 05-194)
Auction of Automated Maritime Telecommunications System Licenses Scheduled for August 3, 2005; Comment Sought on Reserve Prices Or Minimum Opening Bids and Other Procedures for Auction No. 61
WTB announces the auction of ten Automated Maritime Telecommunications Systems licenses scheduled for August 3, 2005.

Comments Filed:
2/18/2005
Havens et al.: pdf

2/17/2005
Paging Systems: pdf

2/26/2005
Havens et al. response to Paging Systems: pdf

3/8/2005
Motion to Accept Response to Reply Comments and Response to Reply Comments by Paging Systems, Inc.: pdf

Releases L

8/16/2010
LETTER (DA 10-1539)
Warren C. Havens - Request for Additional Time to File Opposition to Application for Review
Denied the request for extension of the filing deadline.

Releases O

7/1/2010
ORDER ON RECONSIDERATION (DA 01-1242)
Paging Systems, Inc.
Denied petition for reconsideration and affirmed procedures announced in Public Notice for Auction of Automated Maritime Telecommunications System licenses (Auction 61).

1/31/2007
MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER (DA 07-457)
In the Matter of Petition for Reconsideration by Warren C. Havens
The WTB denies a petition for reconsideration filed by Warren C. Havens, et al, which seeks reconsideration of the Auction 61 Procedures Public Notice request to delay the start of that auction.

11/27/2006
ORDER (DA 06-2368)
Maritime Communications/Land Mobile LLC/Application for New Automated Maritime Telecommunications System Stations/Request for waiver of section 1.2110(c)(5)(A) of the Commission's Rules
Denied the request for waiver

No results here for this auction.

Auction Seminar

This seminar was held on May 25, 2006. You may view the presentations below.

Presentations

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Craig Bomberger, Associate Division Chief, Auctions & Spectrum Access Division (ASAD)

Pre-Auction Process
Lisa Stover, Auctions Marketing Specialist, ASAD
pdf - PowerPoint

Overview of AMTS Rules and Due Diligence
Jeff Tobias, Attorney, Public Safety Critical Infrastructure Division
Jim Shaffer, Telecommunications Policy Analyst, Public Safety & Critical Infrastructure Division
pdf - PowerPoint

Legal, Technical, Auction Rules and Payment Procedures

Electronic Filing of Form 175 and Overview of Auction Rules

Lisa Stover, Auctions Marketing Specialist, ASAD

Howard Davenport, Attorney, ASAD

Form 175 Screen Shot: pdf - PowerPoint

Wire Transfer & Payment Process

Gail Glasser, Financial Management Specialist, Auctions Accounting Group

pdf - PowerPoint

Auction Bidding Procedures

Overview of Auction Process & FCC Automated Auction System

Roy Knowles, Wireless Telecommunications Analyst, ASAD

pdf - PowerPoint

Post-Auction Process

Payment and Filing Requirements

Lisa Stover, Auctions Marketing Specialist, ASAD

pdf - PowerPoint

Overview of Tribal Lands Bidding Credit

Michael Connelly, Attorney, Mobility Division

Auction 61: Automated Maritime Telecommunications System

Summary

Fact Sheet

Auction Seminar

Education