[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 240 (Thursday, December 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65403-65404]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31327]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[DA 96-1959]


Auction of Cellular Unserved Area Licenses (Auction No. 12)

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Public Notice provides guidance on determining 
eligibility to participate in Auction No. 12 for certain cellular 
unserved service area licenses. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau 
has received several inquiries concerning eligibility since announcing 
Auction No. 12. This Public Notice is intended to assist interested 
entities in ascertaining whether they are eligible to participate in 
Auction No. 12, and if so, on which licenses they may bid.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Horan, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, (202) 418-0660.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of Public Notice DA 96-
1959, ``Auction of Cellular Unserved Area Licenses (Auction No. 12)--
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Provides Guidance on Eligibility for 
Cellular Unserved Service Area Auction,'' released November 22, 1996. 
The complete text of the Public Notice is available for inspection and 
copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center (Room 
239), 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. and also may be purchased 
from the Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription 
Service, (202) 857-3800, 2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 140, Washington, 
D.C. 20037.

Synopsis of the Public Notice

    1. An auction of certain licenses for cellular unserved service 
areas is scheduled to begin on January 13, 1997. See Public Notice DA 
96-1850, ``FCC Issues Procedures, Terms and Conditions for January 13, 
1997 Auction of Cellular Phase I and Phase II Service Areas,'' released 
November 8, 1996 (Auction Public Notice). This auction will be the 
twelfth auction scheduled by the Commission and will be referred to as 
Auction No. 12. Eligibility is limited to those entities who previously 
filed an FCC Form 464 or 464-A within the time-frame designated in 47 
CFR Sec. 22.949 for a market and channel block whose license is being 
auctioned in this auction.
    2. Any entity who timely filed an FCC Form 464 or 464-A who wishes 
to participate in the auction of these licenses also must submit an FCC 
Form 175 by December 16, 1996. Thus, the number of entities eligible to 
participate in this auction is limited. Further, the entities who are 
eligible to participate in this auction are able to bid only for the 
markets and channel blocks previously specified on their FCC Form 464s 
or 464-As. An applicant is required to list the markets and channel 
blocks in which it seeks to bid on the FCC Form 175. A list of licenses 
being auctioned and those eligible to apply for each license is 
provided in Attachment A to the Auction Public Notice.
    3. Each applicant has an obligation to keep a current FCC Form 464 
or 464-A on file with the Commission. Any applicant whose FCC Form 464 
or 464-A is not current must file the appropriate amendments prior to 
filing the FCC Form 175. The Commission has requested that any 
applicant for Auction No. 12 not on the list of eligible participants 
attach an exhibit to its FCC Form 175 explaining its relationship to 
the entity on Attachment A through which it derives its eligibility to 
participate.
    4. The following examples are provided for illustration:

Example 1

    A Corp timely filed an FCC Form 464 for MSA 1, channel block B. 
After the issuance

[[Page 65404]]

of a Public Notice announcing an auction of cellular unserved area 
licenses, A Corp timely filed an FCC Form 175. In response to Item 
11, ``Markets and Frequency Blocks/Channels for which you want to 
bid,'' A Corp selected the ``All'' Box on its FCC Form 175.
    A Corp's application will be considered incomplete. An entity 
may only apply for bidding eligibility on licenses in which it has 
timely filed an FCC Form 464 or 464-A. In A Corp's situation, it can 
only seek bidding eligibility for MSA 1, channel block B. 
Furthermore, because the FCC Form 464 or 464-A filing deadline has 
passed for the licenses offered in the current auction, A Corp 
cannot obtain bidding eligibility for any license in the auction 
other than MSA 1, channel block B by now filing an FCC Form 464 or 
464-A.

Example 2

    X Corp timely filed an FCC Form 464 for RSA 1, channel block A; 
Y Corp timely filed an FCC Form 464 for RSA 2, channel block B. X 
Corp and Y Corp were wholly owned subsidiaries of Z Corp. After the 
issuance of a Public Notice announcing an auction of cellular 
unserved area licenses, Z Corp timely filed an FCC Form 175 to seek 
bidding eligibility for RSA 1, channel block A and RSA 2, channel 
block B. Attached to Z Corp's FCC Form 175 is an exhibit explaining 
Z Corp's relationship to X Corp and Y Corp.
    Z Corp will be eligible to bid on the license for both RSA 1, 
channel block A and RSA 2, channel block B (provided Z Corp timely 
filed its upfront payment and has a sufficient bidding activity 
level to bid for both licenses). Z Corp was able to derive its 
eligibility to participate in the auction through the FCC Form 464s 
filed by X Corp and Y Corp.

    5. For additional information, please contact Thomas Horan, 
Auctions Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-
0660.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-31327 Filed 12-11-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-M