Forward Auction Steaming Forward, FCC Says
Upfront payments, the refundable down payments that applicants must make to establish bidding eligibility for the TV incentive auction, were due at the FCC Friday, said the leaders of the Incentive Auction Task Force in a blog post: “The next…
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step in this stage is to prepare bidders for their chance to acquire the 100 MHz of licensed spectrum in the forward auction." Once the FCC validates which applicants have made payments, “we will release a list of qualified bidders in mid-July,” said Chairman Gary Epstein and Vice Chairman Howard Symons in the post. “Shortly we will release a user guide for the forward auction bidding system and an online tutorial,” they wrote Friday. Expect an “extensive bidder training program,” including the FCC’s first “practice auction” and a mock auction just before the bidding rounds begin. “After the mock auction concludes, clock bidding will begin,” they said. “Like the reverse auction, each round will offer bidders an incremental change in price for the licenses on which they’re bidding.” If the forward auction proceeds are high enough to satisfy the “final stage rule,” then “the auction can close at the current clearing target,” they said. “If not, then the auction is designed to run additional stages to match supply and demand.” The FCC is offering “the largest possible nationwide supply of low-band spectrum available to them, and this summer they will have the opportunity to bid on it,” the officials said. The commission said last week that broadcasters would get $86 billion if all their bids were accepted by wireless carriers (see 1606290081). Stations didn't drive up prices, NAB said on its blog Thursday (see 1607010050).