Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Carriers Differ On How To Relieve Bidders

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 2002 05:20:54 -0500

http://www.wirelessweek.com/index.asp?layout=story&articleId=NEc1024006.6hr

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Sell a Home for Top $
http://us.click.yahoo.com/RrPZMC/jTmEAA/jd3IAA/61FxlB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ 

Search Wireless Week

Entire Site
Articles
Web-Exclusive
Archives
Companies
Products
Directories
Events

Tips

|  Archives  |  Events  |  Directories  |  Discussions  |  news@2direct®  |  Subscribe  |

You Are Here > Home

Issues

Newsletter

news@2direct® Archive

Topics

Applications
Business and Finance
Global Regions
Industry Trends
Regulatory
Technology
Wireless Internet

Tools / Services

Airtime Pricing

Archives

Capitol Hill Contacts

Classifieds

Directories

Events

FaceTime

Glossary

Industry Research

Industry Stocks

In-Stat Store

International Data

New Products

Product/Web Showcase

Show Dailies

Webcasts

Wireless 101

Wireless In Style

Web Directories

Associations
Carriers
Education
Government
Publishing
Research/Consultants
Vendors

Inside Wireless

Advertise - Web

Editorial Calendar

Print Subscription

Reprint Requests

Privacy Policy

Direct Marketing Lists

Print

E-mail

Subscribe

Carriers Differ On How To Relieve Bidders

October 25, 2002 12:00am

Reed Business Information - US

Wireless Week via NewsEdge Corporation : WASHINGTON-- Wireless carriers and lawmakers continue pushing the FCC to release spectrum license bidders from their financial obligations in hopes of stimulating the economy with more ready cash.

In filings at the FCC, carriers generally agree that bidders in Auction 35 should be freed of their obligations. The bidders have been held accountable for billions of dollars in case the spectrum is returned to the FCC after an ownership dispute is settled by the U.S. Supreme Court. However, suggestions were abundant and varied as to how the bidders, including Verizon Wireless, which holds the largest chunk of potential spectrum, and others should be freed.

Verizon Wireless and the other Auction 35 bidders are awaiting a Supreme Court decision in a battle between the FCC and NextWave Telecom over who owns the spectrum licenses. NextWave initially had bid and won the spectrum in the FCC's first auction of the licenses. NextWave, however, subsequently went bankrupt and couldn't pay for them. The FCC took them back and re-auctioned the licenses to Verizon and others.

NextWave was successful in battling the FCC's action all the way to the nation's highest court. Oral arguments in that match took place earlier this month, but a final decision is not expected until early spring. That decision, if the high court decides it was the FCC's right to re-auction the licenses, could force Verizon and other Auction 35 bidders to fork over the full payments for them.

However, the FCC has proposed allowing the bidders out of that auction's requirements to free up capital and remove a heavy financial burden from companies that can neither access the spectrum, nor the money needed to cover the bids. The FCC is collecting comments on its "opt out" proposal, which would allow bidders to voluntarily retire from their bid obligations.

Some carriers filing comments, such as Nextel Communications, told the FCC that Auction 35 bidders shouldn't be able to re-bid on the spectrum in a subsequent auction or buy them from second parties in the secondary market for a set amount of time. Other carriers, such as Alaska Native Wireless, said bidders should be allowed to rebid on the licenses.

Meanwhile, Congress is inching closer to forcing the FCC to do something about freeing the Auction 35 bidders. With a bill moving through the House of Representatives and another through the Senate, the FCC's actions may become a moot point. Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, is behind a bill, S-2869, sponsored by John Kerry, D-Mass., and Sam Brownback, R-Kan., that would give Auction 35 bidders 30 days to request that they be let out of their obligations.

Capitol Hill sources say Hollings hopes to get the bill passed before the session ends. It's unclear exactly when the session will end, however. It could be as soon as Oct. 18, but proposals also are being floated to return for a lame duck session the week before Thanksgiving.

<<Wireless Week -- 10/21/02, p. 13>>

<< Copyright ©2002 Reed Business Information - US >>

Print

E-mail

Subscribe

<script language="JavaScript1.1" SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweekbanner;pos=2;lay=story;sz=468x60;ord=3755691292663296?">
</script>
<noscript>
<a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweekbanner;pos=2;lay=story;sz=468x60;ord=3755691292663296?">
<img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweekbanner;pos=2;lay=story;sz=468x60;ord=3755691292663296?" border=0 width="468" height="60"></A></noscript>

Welcome

Register / Log in
here for e-letters and other features.

<script language="JavaScript1.1" SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweekbutton;pos=1;lay=story;sz=125x125;ord=375569811881728?">
</script>
<noscript>
<a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweekbutton;pos=1;lay=story;sz=125x125;ord=375569811881728?">
<img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweekbutton;pos=1;lay=story;sz=125x125;ord=375569811881728?" border=0 width="125" height="125"></A></noscript>

Related Articles

Diversity Pays In A Down Market

Wireless Companies Bump Up Against Covenants

Briefs

Stock Watch

Edit

Ticker

Last

Change

SI

42.30

2.54

NOK

16.89

0.74

NXTL

10.23

0.17

LWIN

0.38

0.09

NT

1.14

0.07

OPWV

1.16

0.06

AMT

1.20

0.05

USM

28.50

-0.08

A

12.94

-0.11

PCS

3.49

-0.16

NASDAQ

1,331.13

32.42

DJIA

8,443.99

126.65

S&P 500

897.65

15.15

Industry Stocks

Data delayed at least 20 min.

Get Quote/Company Info

Ticker    Find symbol

Related Events

IWLA 26th Annual Essentials of Warehousing Logistics Course

10th Annual Administrative Professionals Conf.

Frankfurt Book Fair Report

More >>

<script language="JavaScript1.1" SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweeksky;pos=1;lay=story;sz=120x600;ord=3755691993720832?">
</script>
<noscript>
<a href="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweeksky;pos=1;lay=story;sz=120x600;ord=3755691993720832?">
<img src="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/ww.rbi/;abr=!ie;type=wirelessweeksky;pos=1;lay=story;sz=120x600;ord=3755691993720832?" border=0 width="125" height="125"></A></noscript>

Wireless Home

About Us

Advertise

FAQs

Contact Us

Register/Log In

© 2002 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of this Web site is subject to its Terms and Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy