1FACT SHEET: SUMMARY OF UPCOMING PROCEEDINGS RELATED TO THE 
INCENTIVE AUCTION
May 15, 2014
In today’s Incentive Auction Report and Order (R&O), the Commission adopted rules to address 
important issues related to the Incentive Auction and the resulting reallocation of spectrum in the 
600 MHz Band. 
Consistent with its past practice, the Commission will resolve discrete outstanding issues and 
final auction procedures as part of a pre-auction process that will solicit Commission and public 
input.  This process will conclude well in advance of the Incentive Auction. In addition, the 
Commission will commence several additional proceedings to address a variety of matters 
related to the auction.
Incentive Auction Pre-Auction Process
Auction Comment Public Notice
? In the months following the adoption of the R&O, the Commission will issue a Public Notice 
seeking comment on the implementation of the rules established in the R&O.
? This Comment PN will seek comment on a variety of issues, including:
o Opening Prices – The methodology for determining the starting prices offered to 
broadcasters for each bidding option, and the minimum opening bids for licenses to be 
offered in the forward auction.
o Bid Adjustment Factors – The factors, such a station’s  potential for interference with 
other stations, that affect the value of stations in clearing spectrum.
o Bidding for Aggregated Markets in the Forward Auction.  Whether certain Partial 
Economic Areas (PEAs) should be aggregated into a single license for bidding purposes 
o Final Stage Rule – The specific benchmarks (a price per-MHz-pop and amount of 
spectrum) for the final stage rule, which will determine whether a particular stage of the 
auction is the closing stage.
o Market Variation - How much market variation to accommodate under different 
spectrum recovery scenarios.
o Parameters for price changes from round to round.  How prices will be reduced as 
rounds progress in the reverse auction and increased as rounds progress in the forward 
auction.
o Activity rules.  Standards for bidder activity in each round to assure that bidders bid 
throughout the auction and to keep the auction moving at a reasonable pace.
o Upfront payments and bidding eligibility.  Typically used in FCC spectrum auctions and 
related to activity requirements.  
Auction Procedures Public Notice – After the Commission considers the public input received
in response to the Comment PN, it will make final determinations and provide detailed 
explanations and instructions for potential auction participants in the Procedures PN.
2Related Policy Items Adopted on May 15, 2014
Mobile Spectrum Holdings R&O – The Commission adopted a Report and Order that modified 
the its policies and adopted rules, including for the Incentive Auction, regarding the aggregation 
of spectrum for mobile wireless services through initial licensing and secondary market 
transactions.
Wireless Microphones 2nd R&O – The Commission adopted a Report and Order that provided a 
limited expansion to the class of wireless microphone users eligible for a license.
Future Related Proceedings
Interference Issues.  The Commission will adopt rules to prevent harmful “inter-service
interference” between television and wireless broadband operations in the same or adjacent 
frequencies after the auction and repacking, and determine whether the repacking process should 
include a cap on aggregate interference to a broadcast station from other stations. The 
Commission has already provided opportunity for public comment on these issues.
Low-Power Television (LPTV)/TV Translator Proceeding – The Commission will consider
measures to help alleviate the impact of LPTV and TV translator station displacements resulting 
from the Incentive Auction.
Part 15/Unlicensed Use Proceeding – The Commission will consider changes to the 
Commission’s existing Part 15 rules to facilitate the use of TV White Space devices in the 
remaining television spectrum, in the 600 MHz Band guard bands and on Channel 37.
Wireless Microphone Future Options Proceeding – The Commission will address the needs of 
wireless microphone users over the longer term, both inside and outside of the television bands.
Designated Entity (DE) Proceeding – The Commission will review the Commission’s Part 1 DE 
rules, including the potential application to the Incentive Auction.