The largest national carriers, including AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, applied to bid in the auction of flexible-use licenses for next-generation wireless services in the 3.45-3.55 GHz band. The FCC says DISH, which is building a 5G network, also applied to be in the auction that’s slated to begin October 5. So too, did UScellular.
The agency received 42 short-form applications for Auction 110. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau says 26 are complete and 16 were not.
The 26 deemed to be complete will become qualified bidders once the Commission receives an upfront payment. Those are due in the agency’s account at the U.S. Treasury by 6 p.m. Eastern on September 2. Payments must be made by wire transfer.
At least one hour before placing the order for the transfer, each applicant must submit a completed FCC Form 159 to the Commission by fax to (202) 418-2843, or by email to [email protected]. “Each applicant should obtain confirmation from its financial institution that its wire transfer to the U.S. Treasury was successful and from Commission staff that its upfront payment was timely received and was deposited into the proper account,” says the bureau.
Regarding the 16 applications found to be incomplete, the FCC will write each applicant a letter via email explaining each deficiency. Some of the 16 were Verizon, listed as Cellco Partnership, as well as Bluegrass Network, Carolina West Wireless, Frontier Communications, RC Wireless and W.A.T.C.H. TV Company.
To become a qualified bidder, each applicant must resubmit its application, having corrected any deficiencies, and make an upfront payment by the September 2, deadline. “This will be the only opportunity to cure application defects, and late resubmissions will not be accepted,” notes the agency.
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