FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
May 8, 2000                                  Meribeth McCarrick at (202) 418-0654
               
               39 GHz AUCTION RAISES $410,649,085.00 

  Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission's 39 GHz auction ended today
raising a total net revenue of $410,649,085.00.  The auctioned licenses can be used by companies to
provide a variety of fixed wireless services including local, long distance, high speed data and Internet
access information services. 

  "This auction has inserted 2,173 new fixed wireless licenses into the marketplace," said
Chairman William Kennard.  "Winning bidders have the potential to create robust competition to the
local telephone companies and other local service providers.  This should result in lower prices and
more choices for consumers."

The auction, which began on April 12, ended after 73 rounds of bidding.  Of the 29 winning
bidders 18 claimed small business status.  A total of 2,450 licenses were auctioned.  Unsold licenses will
be part of a future auction.

"These licenses will provide winning bidders with the opportunity to use the latest technologies
to meet consumers communications needs," said Thomas Sugrue, Chief of the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau. "The auction also created significant opportunities for small businesses,
which acquired 849 licenses in 171 markets for various exciting new wireless services.  This represents
almost 40% of the total number of licenses won."

Licenses were auctioned in 172 Economic Areas (EAs) across the United States including cities
such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Licenses were also auctioned United States territories in
Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, and
American Samoa. License winners must make down payments on licenses 10 business days after the
release of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau's Public Notice announcing the close of the
auction. Winning bidders must also file their long form applications with the FCC within the same
period. Further details about this and other FCC auctions can be accessed via the FCC's homepage at:
http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/auctions/.

FCC contacts (Auctions and Industry Analysis Division): Bob Reagle (717) 338-2807 or
rreagle@fcc.gov; Lisa Stover at (717) 338-2804 or lstover@fcc.gov; TTY at (202) 418-7233; or
(Private Wireless Division) Keith Fickner at (202) 418-7308 or kfickner@fcc.gov, TTY at (202) 418-
7233.
                              - FCC -