The FCC has set a date of 05 October to start the auction of spectrum in the 3.45 GHz band. This is part of an ongoing process to release more mid-band spectrum for 5G mobile services.
Auction 110 will offer up to 4,060 new flexible-use licences in the 3.45-3.55 GHz band, divided into ten 10-MHz blocks per Partial Economic Area. The total minimum price for the frequencies is USD 14.7 billion.
In the first phase of the auction, the clock phase, bidders will bid on generic blocks in each geographic area. In the second phase, the assignment phase, they will bid on frequency-specific license assignments.
The FCC issued a notice detailing the required fees and procedures for participating in the auction, as well as the availability of bidding credit discounts for small businesses, rural service providers, and the deployment of services to tribal lands. In addition to the licence costs, the winning bidders will be required to cover the costs of moving current federal government users out of the band.
