Competitive Carriers Still Pressing for Larger Incentive Auction Spectrum Reserve
The Competitive Carriers Association, joined by Dish Network, Sprint and T-Mobile, met with FCC Commissioners Jessica Rosenworcel and Mike O’Rielly to explain why the FCC should mandate a 40 MHz spectrum reserve, or 50 percent of what is auctioned, as…
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it takes up incentive auction rules. The reserve spectrum is set aside for carriers without significant low-band holdings in a particular market. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has proposed instead that the rules keep the 30 MHz reserve approved by the FCC last year (see 1506250057). “The spectrum reserve is the only competitive safeguard still under consideration to prevent AT&T and Verizon from using the 600 MHz auction to further consolidate their already considerable low-band spectrum holdings,” said a filing by the competitive carriers in docket 12-268. “In addition, AT&T or Verizon are reserve eligible in most of the country, including 74 percent of the nation’s geography and 40 percent of the [POPs].” CCA supports any proposal that would address concerns about the current trigger for determining when the reserve kicks in, CCA said. The currently proposed trigger “opens opportunities for gaming if the Commission pursues high clearing targets -- with attendant high clearing costs -- at the outset of the auction, but later falls back to a lower clearing target with lower clearing costs during a subsequent round,” CCA said.