Mark Your Calendars  

“I remain committed to achieving our goal of beginning the auction in the first quarter of 2016,” FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler wrote in a blog on July 16. This statement comes after the Commission pushed the Public Notice to establish bidding procedures for the incentive auction, and the Reconsideration of the Mobile Spectrum Holdings Order from last week’s meeting until August 6. “Given the complexity of the reverse auction, and undetermined level of broadcaster commitment to date, we had expected the FCC to be more insistent on pushing the matter through its agenda,” Jennifer Fritzsche, senior analyst at Wells Fargo wrote. “After scratching the topic, Wheeler announced it would definitely be on the agenda for the FCC’s 8/6 meeting. The timing still holds according to Wheeler.” Fritzsche also explained that Wheeler ended his letter to the House Committees on July 15 stating, “Moving forward the Incentive Auction is a national priority for both economic growth and deficit reduction. I remain committed to achieving our joint goal of beginning the auction in the first quarter of 2016.”