FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: News Media Contact: September 21, 2000 Meribeth McCarrick at (202) 418-0654 e-mail: mmccarri@fcc.gov 700 MHz GUARD BAND AUCTION RAISES $519,892,575.00 Washington, D.C. - The Federal Communications Commission's 700 MHz Guard Band auction ended today, raising a total in net bids of $519,892,575.00. Winners in this auction represent a new type of FCC licensee --- "Guard Band Managers." Guard Band Managers will be engaged in the business of subdividing the spectrum they have won and leasing it for value to third parties for both commercial and private wireless uses. "Guard Band Managers are an innovative and efficient approach to spectrum management, " said FCC Chairman William E. Kennard. "These companies have an exciting opportunity ahead of them to promote the development of secondary markets of spectrum usage. Winning companies will be able to rely on the ebb and flow of the marketplace to lease this spectrum to third parties for their unique business needs." The auction, which began on September 6, ended after 66 rounds of bidding. Of the 9 winning bidders 5 claimed small business status. A total of 104 licenses were offered in 52 Major Economic Areas. In each economic area a 4 MHz and 2 MHz license was auctioned. 96 licenses were sold in the auction. The 8 unsold licenses will be part of a future auction. "Our approach to licensing this spectrum serves two important purposes," said Thomas Sugrue, Chief of the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. "First, spectrum will be made available to commercial and private users under innovative leasing arrangements. Second, these spectrum users will operate in a manner that protects adjacent public safety spectrum users from interference." 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): Craig Bomberger (202) 418-0660 or cbomberg@fcc.gov; or (Commercial Wireless Division): Gary Oshinsky (202) 418-7167 or goshinsk@fcc.gov, and JoAnn Epps (202) 418-1342 or jepps@fcc.gov; TTY at (202) 418-7233. - FCC - News media Information 202 / 418-0500 TTY 202 / 418-2555 Fax-On-Demand 202 / 418-2830 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov ftp.fcc.gov Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, S.W. Washington, D. C. 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC. 515 F 2d 385 (D.C. Circ 1974).