NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12th 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). News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACTS: March 20, 2008 Chelsea Fallon: (202) 418-7991 FCC DELINKS 700 MHz UPPER D BLOCK FROM OTHER BLOCKS, WILL RELEASE INFORMATION ON 700 MHz AUCTION WINNING BIDDERS WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an Order de-linking the Upper 700 MHz D Block from the other blocks offered in the 700 MHz Auction (Auction 73), which closed on March 18, 2008. The D Block did not meet its $1.3 billion reserve price established in advance of the auction, while the other blocks – the A, B, C, and E Blocks – met and exceeded their reserve prices. The Commission is committed to making this spectrum available for use quickly after the DTV transition on February 17, 2009. Today’s action enables the FCC to proceed with releasing the information on the winning bidders in the A, B, C, and E Blocks and to move forward with licensing this spectrum. The FCC decided that it will not re-offer the D Block immediately in Auction 76 but will consider its options for how to license this spectrum in the future. In July 2007, the FCC adopted rules for the 700 MHz Band spectrum that included the creation of a 10-megahertz license in the D Block to be part of a 700 MHz Public Safety/Private Partnership with the adjacent Public Safety Broadband Licensee. The 700 MHz Public Safety/Private Partnership was designed to achieve the important public policy goal of helping to solve public safety’s interoperability problems and allow police, fire and other first responders to better communicate with one another in times of emergency. The FCC remains committed to this goal. The anti-collusion rules for the 700 MHz Auction will remain in effect until the down payment deadline, which will be ten business days after the release of the Closing Public Notice. Action by the Commission on March 19, 2008 by Order (FCC 08-91). Chairman Martin and Commissioners Copps, Adelstein, Tate, and McDowell. Separate statement issued by Commissioners Copps and Adelstein. AU Docket No. 07-157 – FCC – News and other information about the Federal Communications Commission is available at www.fcc.gov.