AT&T, Frontline Wireless Petition the FCC About Upcoming Spectrum Auction

September 25, 2007

AT&T and Frontline Wireless are both petitioning the U.S. Federal Communications Commission asking that some changes be made to the rules for this January's 700MHz spectrum auction.

Frontline Wireless is the most vocal and detailed in its objection to the auction rules as they now stand. They'd rather the FCC drop what Fronline considers a "capricious" $1.6 billion price marked for the spectrum's D block of two 5MHz sections that would be accessed by commercial users and first-responder government entities.

Frontline would also like to see an easier path for small business wholesalers to be given bidding discount rights for spectrum allocation. They are also concerned that no single carrier be given more than 45MHz of spectrim.

For its part, AT&T's objections to the current auction rules would like a clarification of public safety rules, especially as how they might effect the Block D spectrum.