PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1919 M STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 News Media Information: (202) 418-0500 Fax-On-Demand: (202) 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov DA 98-2347 November 20, 1998 AUCTION OF 156-162 MHz VHF PUBLIC COAST SERVICE LICENSES 8 Qualified Bidders Report No. AUC-20-D (Auction No. 20) This Public Notice identifies the 8 applicants that have been found qualified to bid for 42 VHF Public Coast Service licenses in Auction No. 20, which is scheduled to begin on Thursday, December 3, 1998. This Public Notice also contains bidding instructions and other important information regarding the auction. Attachment A lists each of the 8 qualified bidders, their upfront payments, and maximum eligibility in bidding units. Attachment B lists the licenses that were listed on each qualified bidder's FCC Form 175. Attachment C lists those applicants that submitted FCC Form 175 applications, but did not qualify to bid in this auction. Attachment D is a corrected version of the FCC Remote Bidding System Hardware and Software Requirements (Attachment D of the Status of Applications Public Notice). Attachment E contains software downloading/installing instructions for participation in the mock auction. Attachment F contains round results file formats for use during the auction. Attachment G contains instructions for accessing the FCC Network using Windows 95/98. In order to participate effectively in the auction, qualified bidders should re-familiarize themselves with the auction rules and other information contained in the Bidder Information Package and the Public Notices released for this auction. The following information provides additional guidance. Registration. Qualified bidders have been automatically registered for the auction. For security reasons, the Commission will confirm registration by two separate mailings of registration materials, both sent to the contact person at the address identified in the bidder's FCC Form 175. The two mailings will include the Bidder Identification Number, Login ID, Login Password and the FCC Account Number. The second mailing will include the remote bidding system software, if ordered. Upon receipt of both mailings, each bidder should be in possession of the following information:  FCC Account Number (as assigned by FCC)  Bidder Identification Number (supplied by FCC mailing)  Login ID (supplied by FCC mailing)  Login Password (supplied by FCC mailing)  Remote bidding system software, if ordered (supplied by FCC mailing) Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring the security of their computer systems, the security of their bidding codes, and that only authorized bidders place bids on their behalf. The FCC assumes no responsibility or liability for these matters. WARNING: Any unauthorized person or entity accessing or tampering with an FCC or other government computer will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Any applicant listed as a qualified bidder in Attachment A to this Public Notice that has not received both registration mailings by noon on Wednesday, November 25, 1998, should contact the FCC at (888) CALL-FCC ((888) 225-5322). Callers should press option number 2 at the prompt for auction inquiries. It is each applicant's responsibility to ensure that all registration information has been received on time. Lost Login IDs, Login Passwords and Bidder Identification Numbers can be replaced only at the FCC Auction Headquarters, located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. If replacement is necessary, either an authorized representative or the certifying official (as designated on the applicant's FCC Form 175) must appear in person with two forms of identification, one of which must be a photo identification. Electronic Bidding Software. In order to bid electronically, each qualified bidder that filed its FCC Form 175 electronically must purchase the Commission's electronic bidding software. The software has been updated for the VHF Public Coast Service auction. Bidders are advised to review the software manual included in the registration materials and participate in the mock auction to become familiar with this software. For software backup, bidders are advised to duplicate the software for use by authorized representatives at different locations. However, the FCC Remote Bidding System will not accept electronic bids from qualified bidders that are not registered purchasers of the bidding software. Bidding Contingency Plan. Bidders should develop comprehensive contingency plans they can implement quickly in case they experience difficulty participating in the auction. While the FCC will correct any problems within Commission-controlled facilities, bidders are solely responsible for anticipating and overcoming problems such as bidder technical failures, local telephone service interruptions, adverse local weather conditions, unavailability of authorized bidders, or loss or breach of confidential security codes. The FCC Remote Bidding System requires access to a 900 service telephone line. Bidders should verify in advance that the telephone systems they will be using to submit electronic bids permit access to 900 service telephone numbers, and should consult their telephone administrators if they need assistance. All filers, manual and electronic, will be supplied with a telephone number for telephonic bidding in their registration packet. Manual filers are required to use this telephone number to place bids. Electronic bidders may use this telephone number as an alternate method of bidding in the event they are not able to submit their bids electronically. Bidding Schedule. The bidding schedule for Thursday, December 3, 1998 will be: Bidding Period 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. ET Round Results 10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. ET Bidding Period 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET Round Results 3:00 p.m. - 3:15 p.m. ET The bidding schedule for Friday, December 4, 1998 will be: Bidding Period 9:00 a.m. - 9:45 a.m. ET Round Results 9:45 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. ET Bidding Period 11:00 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. ET Round Results 11:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET Bidding Period 2:00 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. ET Round Results 2:45 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET Bidding Period 4:00 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. ET Round Results 4:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET The FCC will set the pace of the auction based upon its monitoring of the bidding and its assessment of the auction's progress. Generally, at the end of each week of the auction, the FCC will announce the bidding schedule for the following week. Minimum Opening Bids. There will be a minimum opening bid for each license in the VHF Public Coast Service auction, calculated in accordance with the formulas we have previously announced. The minimum opening bid amount is subject to reduction at the discretion of the Commission. Bidders should be aware, however, that the FCC will not entertain requests to lower minimum opening bids. The agency will exercise its discretion, if at all, independent of any communications from bidders. Messages and Announcements. The FCC will post pertinent auction information as messages and announcements on the FCC Remote Bidding System, on its Internet site and on its Bulletin Board System (BBS). Bidders should routinely check for messages and announcements each time they enter the Remote Bidding System, and should read this information carefully. Bidder Questions during the Auction. FCC auction officials and technical support staff will be available during the course of the auction to answer questions from bidders. Bidders should identify themselves as a bidder with time sensitive auction questions when calling any number. Help can be obtained through the following telephone numbers: FCC Bidder Line Use telephonic bid number (telephonic bidding, auction conduct supplied in registration mailing questions) FCC Technical Support Hotline (202) 414-1250 (all technical questions, software and hardware) FCC Auctions Division (legal questions) (202) 418-0660 Monitoring Round Results. Attachment F to this Public Notice provides instructions for reviewing and downloading round results, and other material related to the VHF Public Coast Service auction released by the Commission during the course of the auction. Auction Tracking Tool. The FCC has developed a new tool for tracking the results of its auctions which will make its debut in the VHF Public Coast Auction. Bidders wishing to familiarize themselves with the new tool will be able to download the tool with a sample database when it becomes available. Unlike the previous tool, this one will be able to be used with both the mock auction and real auction. The new FCC Auction Tracking Tool will be made available on Wednesday, November 25, 1998 via the Internet at http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/auctions/coast1.html, which will include a specific link to the new tracking tool. The new FCC Auction Tracking Tool will also be available via the FCC Auctions Bulletin Board System. The new FCC Auction Tracking Tool is a stand-alone application which runs on Windows 95/98 and NT operating systems and does not require any other software, although some advanced features do require Microsoft Excel 97. The tool will allow users to import round result files and analyze bidding results after each round of the auction. For installation and use instructions see the README file and on-line help system that accompany the FCC Auction Tracking Tool. User Requirements. This software is designed to be used by a wide range of users. For most effective use of the tool, users should be familiar with: * Microsoft Windows 95/98/NT * Microsoft Excel 97 * The FCC simultaneous multiple round auction format Software and Hardware Requirements. At a minimum, you will need the following: * Microsoft Windows 95, 98 or NT. * Up to 40-50 MB of available hard disk space. For the application itself, only 2-3 MB will be necessary, but the auction database can grow quite large. * 16 MB RAM and Pentium based processor are required with 32 MB RAM and a Pentium 166 or higher are strongly recommended. * Some advanced features of the tool will require Microsoft Excel 97, but the majority of the tool's features can be used without Excel. Amendments to FCC Form 175s. Applicants are responsible for maintaining the accuracy and completeness of information furnished in their FCC Form 175 and exhibits. See 47 C.F.R  1.65. It is the staff's position that applicants should amend their applications within ten business days from the occurrence of a reportable change. Electronic filers should make modifications to their FCC Form 175s electronically, and submit a letter briefly summarizing the changes to: Amy Zoslov Chief, Auctions & Industry Analysis Division Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Federal Communications Commission Room 5202 2025 M St., NW Washington, DC 20554 with a courtesy copy to Anne Napoli at the same address. Manual filers must submit a hard-copy amendment to the address where they sent their original application, and also fax a copy to (202) 418-0890. Manual filers must also submit a letter briefly summarizing the changes to Amy Zoslov (and a courtesy copy to Anne Napoli) at the above address. As described in the Commission's Rules, applicants may make only minor corrections to their FCC Form 175 applications; major modifications (e.g., changing the markets applied for, changing control of the applicant, changing the certifying official or signing a manual application) will not be accepted. See 47 C.F.R.  1.2105(b). Due Diligence. Bidders are reminded that they should continue to conduct due diligence examinations regarding incumbents and other legal developments with respect to the licenses for which they bid during the course of the auction. Mock Auction. The FCC will conduct a mock auction on Tuesday, December 1, 1998, to allow qualified bidders to familiarize themselves with the electronic bidding software. The mock auction will be open only to qualified bidders. Telephonic bidding will also be available during the mock auction. Qualified bidders wishing to place telephonic bids should use the telephone number supplied in the registration materials for the auction. Pre-registration is not required to participate in the mock auction. This mock auction will include all VHF Public Coast Service licenses, and will follow the rules governing the VHF Public Coast Service auction. The mock auction will be identified as Auction No. 74. The program will assume that each bidder applied for all licenses and submitted upfront payments of $175,000, corresponding to 175,000 bidding units. The auction will simulate the start of Stage One, so bidders will be required to be active on at least 80 percent of their bidding units, or risk having a waiver automatically applied unless bidding eligibility is reduced. The mock auction bidding schedule for Tuesday, December 1, 1998 will be: Round 1 Bidding Period 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. ET Round Results 10:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. ET Round 2 Bidding Period 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. ET Round Results 11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. ET Lunch 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET Round 3 Bidding Period 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. ET Round Results 1:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. ET Round 4 Bidding Period 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET Round Results 2:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. ET Round 5 Bidding Period 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET Round Results 3:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m. ET Round 6 Bidding Period 4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET Round Results 4:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m. ET Eligible VHF Public Coast Service bidders who wish to participate in the mock auction using electronic bidding must establish a PPP connection to the FCC Auction Network through either an 800 or a 900 number, as selected through the mock auction software. (The FCC strongly encourages participants to test their ability to connect using the 900 number, in order to identify any potential problems such as a 900-number telephone block. There will be no access charge for the first minute of the 900-number connection time.) When participants establish the PPP connection and start the Mock Bidding System, they will register for the mock auction by entering their FCC Account Number. The Login names, Login passwords, and Bidder Identification Numbers (BINs) will be pre-filled. Note: Pre-filled codes are for the mock auction only. For the actual VHF Public Coast Service auction, valid Login codes and BINs will be mailed to qualified bidders with their registration materials. Remote bidding software for the mock auction will be available via the FCC's Internet and Bulletin Board System beginning Wednesday, November 25, 1998. See Attachment E for downloading/installing instructions. This software is specifically designed for this simulation, and is not adaptable to any other FCC spectrum auction. As part of the software, the Commission has established a suggestion box and welcomes your comments regarding the software. OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Long-Form Applications: Applicants that claim status as a small or very small business should be aware that at the long-form application stage, they will be subject to the more extensive reporting requirements contained in the Commission's Part 1 ownership disclosure rule. See 47 C.F.R.  1.2112(b). Also, applicants with foreign ownership interests will be required to comply with 47 U.S.C.  310(b)(4) at the long-form application stage. For additional information regarding this Public Notice, please contact Jeff Garretson or Anne Napoli, Auctions & Industry Analysis Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-0660. Questions about software or hardware should be directed to Technical Support at (202) 414-1250.