Media Contact: 
Charlie Meisch, (202) 418-2943
Charles.Meisch@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
STATEMENT OF FCC CHAIRMAN TOM WHEELER ON SATISFYING 
THE INCENTIVE AUCTION’S FINAL STAGE RULE
  -- Auction 
WASHINGTON, January 18, 2017 – With the results of today’s rounds of the forward auction, 
the bidding has satisfied the requirements of the incentive auction’s Final Stage Rule, meaning 
that the auction will successfully conclude in Stage 4. Bidding will continue in Stage 4 until there
is no excess demand in any market and following the close of the clock auction, the Commission 
will conduct an assignment phase where winning wireless bidders may bid for specific blocks. 
The following statement can be attributed to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler:
“The world’s first spectrum incentive auction has delivered on its ambitious promise. Reaching 
the Final Stage Rule means the benefits of the auction are indisputable. We will repurpose 70 
MHz of high-value, completely clear low-band spectrum for mobile broadband on a nationwide 
basis. On top of that, 14 MHz of new unlicensed spectrum – the test bed for wireless innovation –
will be available for consumer devices and new services. The auction will provide $10.05 billion 
to broadcast television licensees who participated and billions towards deficit reduction.  
“There is still a long road ahead to successfully implement the post-auction transition of 
broadcast stations to their new channels and bring the new wireless and unlicensed spectrum to 
market. This will be an extremely important task for my successor and the new Commission; I 
wish them well. 
“Now that we are assured of a successful auction, however, it is appropriate to acknowledge and 
thank some of those who helped us get here; a list that begins with our staff. For more than four
years, Gary Epstein, Chair of the Incentive Auction Task Force, has led a team of professionals 
more than 100 strong to assure that our actions were carefully coordinated and considered the 
public and stakeholder interests from all angles. The Task Force has worked tirelessly on this 
auction since 2012 and they have my deepest thanks.
“Congress made the incentive auction possible – both by passing the Spectrum Act in 2012 and 
through its continued guidance and oversight – thanks to the leadership of Representatives Upton, 
Waxman, Walden, Eshoo, and Pallone, and Senators Rockefeller, Thune, and Nelson. Committee 
staff, together with the staff of our federal agency partners, including NTIA and OMB, 
collaborated to draft a momentous piece of legislation designed to advance the goals of making 
more spectrum available for licensed and unlicensed use, funding an interoperable public safety
network, and reducing the federal deficit. 
“My predecessors as Chair, Julius Genachowski and Mignon Clyburn, set the process in motion
for this auction as well as for the 2014 AWS-3 auction, together with fellow Commissioners 
Robert McDowell, Jessica Rosenworcel, Ajit Pai and Mike O’Rielly. Congratulations to all on a 
job well done.”
To learn more about the Incentive Auction, visit http://www.fcc.gov/incentiveauctions.
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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).