The Paging Upper band 929 MHz and 931 MHz spectrum auction will use simultaneous multiple round competitive bidding. Bidding will be permitted only from remote locations, either electronically (by computer) or telephonically. Specific information relating to this auction will be announced by public notice. General information and associated licensing parameters are listed below.

The Federal Communications Commission ("FCC" or "Commission") held an auction for 2,499 licenses: 612 - 929 MHz Licenses and 1,887 - 931 MHz licenses

The 929 and 931 MHz frequency bands are allocated for paging services. If you win a geographic license in the auction, you will be able to use the spectrum to provide: (1) one-way messaging; (2) two-way messaging; and (3) fixed wireless services. Provision of these services is subject to the technical limitations set forth for the service in Part 22 (Part 90 for 929 MHz exclusive channels).

Paging systems are traditionally one-way signaling systems. Paging services, grouped by output, include; tone, tone/voice, numeric, and alphanumeric. Present systems are of two basic types; a wide-area general-use type providing subscription service to the public, and, an in-building, private, paging system, limited to a commercial building or the general area of a manufacturing plant. Currently, neither of these paging systems can initiate an answer without calling through a landline telephone. However, in 1996, the Commission adopted the First Report and Order in the flexible spectrum use proceeding, in which several CMRS bands (including 929 and 931 MHz) were allocated to the fixed service on a co-primary basis. ¹ Permitting service providers to offer all types of fixed, mobile, and hybrid services will allow CMRS providers to better respond to market demand and increase competition in the provision of telecommunications services. The Commission concluded that the public interest would be served by giving licensees maximum flexibility in the use of CMRS spectrum.

CMRS licenses are issued for a ten-year term from the initial license grant date. Licensees are required to provide coverage to one-third of the population in its area within three years of the license grant, and to two-thirds of the population within its area within five years of the license grant. In the alternative, the licensee may provide substantial service to the geographic license area within five years of license grant. See CMRS Third Report and Order, 9 FCC Rcd at 8157 n.712.

Bidding credits are available to small businesses or consortia thereof, (as defined in 47 C.F.R. §§ 1.2110(c) and 22.217(a)). A bidding credit represents the amount by which a bidder’s winning bids are discounted. The size of the bidding credit depends on the average annual gross revenues for the preceding three years of the bidder, its affiliates, its controlling interests, and the affiliates of its controlling interests:

• A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues of more than $3 million but not more than $15 million for the preceding three years receives a 25 percent discount on its winning bids for paging licenses
• A bidder with attributed average annual gross revenues of not more than $3 million for the preceding three years receives a 35 percent discount on its winning bids for paging licenses

Bidding credits are not cumulative. A qualifying applicant receives either the 25 percent or the 35 percent bidding credit, but not both.

Incumbent (non-geographic) paging licensees operating under their existing authorizations are entitled to full protection from co-channel interference. ² Geographic area licensees are likewise afforded co-channel interference protection from incumbent licensees. & sup3 Adjacent geographic area licensees are obligated to resolve possible interference concerns of adjacent geographic area licensees by negotiating a mutually acceptable agreement with the neighboring geographic licensee.

For further details on Paging services please refer to our Commercial Wireless Divisions Paging web site

¹ Amendment of the Commission's rules to Permit Flexible Service Offerings in the Commercial Mobile Radio Services, WT Docket No. 96-6, First Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 11 FCC Rcd 8965 (1996).

² Paging Second Report and Order at ¶ 58 and Paging Reconsideration Order at ¶ 42-44; 47 C.F.R. § 22.503(I).

³ Paging Reconsideration Order at ¶ 45.