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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  News  Media  Contact: 
 February  22,  2001  Mark  Rubin  at  (202)  418-  2924 
 E-  mail:  mrubin@  fcc.  gov 


 SECOND  700  MHZ  GUARD  BAND  SPECTRUM  AUCTION  CLOSES 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  A  Federal  Communications  Commission  700  MHz  Guard  Band  auction  (No. 
 38)  ended  on  Wednesday,  February  21,  2001,  raising  total  net  revenue  of  $20,916,500.00. 


 The  Guard  Band  Manager  is  a  new  class  of  commercial  licensee  engaged  solely  in  the 
 business  of  leasing  spectrum  to  third  parties  on  a  for-  profit  basis.  The  Guard  Band 
 Manager  may  subdivide  its  spectrum  in  any  manner  it  chooses  and  make  it  available  to  system 
 operators,  or  directly  to  end  users  for  fixed  or  mobile  (cellular  system  architecture  is  prohibited 
 from  operating  in  this  band)  communications.  The  Guard  Band  Manager  will  be  required  to  adhere 
 to  strict  frequency  coordination  and  interference  rules,  and  control  use  of  the  spectrum  so  as  to 
 facilitate  protection  for  the  adjacent  public  safety  bands. 


 This  auction  began  on  February  13,  2001,  and  ended  after  38  rounds  of  bidding.  Eight 
 unsold  licenses  from  the  first  Guard  Band  auction,  No.  33,  were  offered  in  eight  Major  Economic 
 Areas  (MEAs).  By  Congressional  direction  in  1997,  the  Commission  reallocated  thirty-  six 
 megahertz  of  spectrum  for  commercial  use  including  fixed,  mobile,  and  broadcasting  services.  Six 
 of  the  thirty-  six  megahertz  have  been  identified  as  Guard  Bands  to  provide  protection  to  public 
 safety  users. 


 Winning  bidders  must  make  down  payments  on  licenses  within  10  business  days  after  the 
 release  of  the  Wireless  Telecommunications  Bureau's  Public  Notice  announcing  the  close  of  the 
 auction.  Winning  bidders  must  also  file  their  long  form  applications  with  the  FCC  within  the  same 
 period.  Further  details  about  this  and  other  FCC  auctions  can  be  accessed  via  the  FCC's  homepage 
 at:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov/  wtb/  auctions/. 


 FCC  contacts:  Howard  Davenport  (Auctions  Legal  Branch)  at  (202)  418-  0660  or 
 hdavenpo@  fcc.  gov;  or  Lyle  Ishida  (Auctions  Operations  Branch)  at  (202)  418-  0660  or 
 lishida@  fcc.  gov;  or  Gary  Oshinsky  (Commercial  Wireless  Division)  at  (202)  418-  7167  or  goshinsk@  fcc.  gov;  TTY  at  (202)  418-  7233. 


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