The Media Access Project claims to have found widespread evidence...
The Media Access Project claims to have found widespread evidence of gaming and signaling in 2006’s advanced wireless services (AWS) auction. FCC rules required disclosure of bidders’ identities as the auction progressed. The data MAP cites suggest gaming doomed…
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chances for DBS operators to buy spectrum they sought early in the auction, which would have let them offer wireless broadband to complement their video offerings. Neither the FCC nor other bidders immediately commented. MAP released its data as the FCC readies rules for the coming 700 MHz auction. MAP wants all FCC auctions from now on to be closed. Harold Feld, MAP senior Vp, told us Mon.: “There are just too many opportunities in an open environment to identify new entrants like DBS Wireless, to have those interested in throttling new entrants swarm after them.” MAP cited studies by Gregory Rose of Economic Research Services. Rose analyzed the 2006 auction results using the same methodology with which he claimed to have found evidence of tacit collusion in the PCS D, E and F-Block auction in 1996-97. Rose determined that 0.19% of bids in the 2006 AWS-1 auction were placed to “retaliate” against other bidders and to thwart competition. That’s up from 0.16% of all bids in the PCS auction from 10 years ago.