General information and associated licensing parameters are provided below. Public Notices provide specific information regarding this auction. This fact sheet includes:

(Note: Adjacent channels are overlapping.)

From January 24, 1996 through January 26, 1996 the FCC auctioned two Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) construction permits. The second permit, for use of 24 channels in the 148 degree west orbital location, was awarded after 25 rounds to Echostar DBS Corp. with a winning bid of $52.3 million. The 148 degrees west orbital location offers coverage for most of the U.S. with the exclusion of parts of the East Coast. (See Auction #8 for details on the first permit.)

DBS is defined to include satellite transmission of voice, video, and data direct to the consumer. Thus, while DBS is expected to be a competitor to cable, the service is not limited to the traditional model of providing multi-channel video programming. DBS is a direct-to-home satellite service that permits delivery of digitally-compressed audio and video signals to individual households by means of an 18 inch dish receiving antenna. DBS services offer packages of satellite television and radio programming which includes virtually all of the basic and premium cable programming services, retransmitted television broadcast signals (network stations are available only to "unserved households," those without off-air access or recent access via a cable subscription to an affiliate of the network in question), a substantial amount of "out-of-market" sports programming, and a wide range of pay-per-view movies.

10 years – non-broadcast

5 years – broadcast.

No bidding credits were offered in this auction.