FCC Responds to T-Mobile's Auction Criticism
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler believes the AWS-3 auction should promote competition, an agency official told us in response to T-Mobile President John Legere’s Wednesday blog post criticizing the sale of the brunt of the spectrum to three providers (see 1502180054).…
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Wheeler supported policies that “will not permit dominant carriers to ‘run the table’ in the incentive auction, which includes a market-based reserve of spectrum for bidders who don’t currently have a lot of low-band spectrum,” the official emailed. The auction also has buildout requirements “to ensure that the spectrum is put to use for American consumers.” The commission will require new 600 MHz Band licensees to build out to 40 percent of the population in their service areas within six years and to 75 percent of the population by the end of their initial 12-year license terms, the official said.