FCC Completes Auction Of 24, 28 GHz Bands

The FCC has completed the auction of 24 GHz spectrum licences. The millimeter wave spectrum follows an earlier sale of frequencies in the 28 GHz band for 5G. The ‘Spectrum Frontiers’ auctions of the 24 GHz and 28 GHz bands raised more than USD 2.7 billion in gross bids. Combined, 55 applicants were qualified to bid, and the winning bidders won 5,869 licenses.

The sale of the 28 GHz band was completed in January, with gross bids totaling USD 702.6 million. Bidding in the auction of the 24 GHz band has just concluded with the end of the assignment phase, after the clock-phase bidding finished in April. This auction raised just over USD 2 billion, and bidders won 2,904 of the 2,909 licenses offered.

The FCC will release a public notice in a few days providing detailed auction results and notifying winning bidders of deadlines for payments. Additional high band spectrum in the upper 37 GHz, 39 GHz and 47 GHz bands will go on sale in December, offering up to 3,400 MHz at auction.―Telecompaper