[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 25 (Friday, February 6, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6181-6184]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3085]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 98-162; Report No. AUC-98-19-A (Auction No. 19)]


Comment Sought on Reserve Prices or Minimum Opening Bids for the 
General Wireless Communications Service (GWCS) in the 4660-4685 MHz 
Band; Formula Proposed for May 27 GWCS Auction

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice; seeking comment.

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SUMMARY: In this Public Notice, the Commission is seeking comment on a 
proposed formula for calculating minimum opening bids for the General 
Wireless Communications Service, Auction No. 19.

DATES: Comment deadline: February 13, 1998; reply deadline: February 
20, 1998.

ADDRESSES: To file formally, parties must submit an original and four 
copies to the Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications 
Commission, Room 222, 1919 M Street N.W., Washington, DC 20554. In 
addition, parties must submit one copy to Kathleen O'Brien Ham, Chief, 
Auctions and Industry Analysis Division, Wireless Telecommunications 
Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Room 5202, 2025 M Street 
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathryn Garland, Bob Reagle, or Arthur 
Lechtman, Auctions and Industry Analysis Division, Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau, at (202) 418-0660.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Public Notice was released on January 
30, 1998, and is available in its entirety, including all attachments, 
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 Services, (202) 857-3800, fax (202) 857-
3805, 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. It is also 
available on the Commission's website at http://www.fcc.gov.

Summary of Action

I. Reserve Price or Minimum Opening Bid

    1. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 calls upon the Commission to 
prescribe methods by which a reasonable reserve price will be required 
or a minimum opening bid established when FCC licenses are subject to 
auction (i.e., because they are mutually exclusive), unless the 
Commission determines that a reserve price or minimum bid is not in the 
public interest. Consistent with this mandate, the Commission has 
directed the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (``Bureau'') to seek 
comment on the use of a minimum opening bid and/or reserve price prior 
to the start of each auction. The Bureau was directed to seek comment 
on the methodology to be employed in establishing each of these 
mechanisms. Among other factors, the Bureau should consider the amount 
of spectrum being auctioned, levels of incumbency, the availability of 
technology to provide service, the size of the geographic service 
areas, the extent of interference with other spectrum bands, and any 
other relevant factors that could reasonably have an impact on 
valuation of the spectrum being auctioned. The Commission concluded 
that the Bureau should have the discretion to employ either or both of 
these mechanisms for future auctions.
    2. Normally, a reserve price is an absolute minimum price below 
which an item will not be sold in a given auction. Reserve prices can 
be either published or unpublished. A minimum opening bid, on the other 
hand, is the minimum bid price set at the beginning of the auction 
below which no bids are accepted. It is generally used to accelerate 
the competitive bidding process. Also, in a minimum opening bid 
scenario, the auctioneer generally has the discretion to lower the 
amount later in the auction.
    3. The Bureau recently announced the auction of 875 licenses for 
the General Wireless Communications Service which is scheduled to begin 
May 27, 1998. These licenses encompass the United States, the Northern 
Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands 
and Puerto Rico. Specifically, the licenses include: (1) five licenses 
in each of 172 geographic areas known as Economic Areas (EAs); (2) five 
licenses in each of three EA-like areas, covering Guam and the Northern 
Marianas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa.
    4. In anticipation of this auction and in light of the Balanced 
Budget Act, the Bureau proposes to establish minimum opening bids for 
the GWCS auction, and retain discretion to lower the minimum opening 
bids.
    5. The Bureau believes a minimum opening bid, which has been 
utilized in other auctions, is an effective bidding tool, and we 
propose to use this approach in the GWCS auction. A minimum opening bid 
will help to regulate the pace of the auction and provides flexibility.
    6. Specifically, the Commission proposes the following formula for 
calculating minimum opening bids in Auction No. 19:

[[Page 6182]]

    For each EA License, the minimum opening bid = $0.0030  x  5 MHz 
x  population (based on 1990 census) with a minimum of no less than 
$2500.00 per license.
    Comment is sought on this proposal. If commenters believe that the 
formula proposed above for minimum opening bids will result in 
substantial numbers of unsold licenses, or is not a reasonable amount, 
or should instead operate as a reserve price, they should explain why 
this is so, and comment on the desirability of an alternative approach. 
Commenters are advised to support their claims with valuation analyses 
and suggested reserve prices or minimum opening bid levels or formulas. 
In establishing the formula for minimum opening bids, we particularly 
seek comment on such factors as, among other things, the amount of 
spectrum being auctioned, levels of incumbency, the availability of 
technology to provide service, the size of the geographic service 
areas, issues of interference with other spectrum bands and any other 
relevant factors that could reasonably have an impact on valuation of 
the GWCS spectrum. (In order to assist them in their evaluation, 
interested parties are advised to review Attachment A to this Public 
Notice. This Attachment contains information provided to the Commission 
by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. It 
describes certain government operations that operate in the bands 
adjacent to GWCS spectrum and may cause interference in some regions.) 
Alternatively, comment is sought on whether, consistent with the 
Balanced Budget Act, the public interest would be served by having no 
minimum opening bid or reserve price.

II. Other Issues

    7. The Bureau finds that seeking comment on other auction-related 
procedures for GWCS, prior to resolution of the issues raised in the 
Part 1 Third Report and Order and Second Further Notice of Proposed 
Rule Making, 63 FR 770 (January 7, 1998), would be premature. 
Additionally, certain issues (such as the upfront payment formula and 
competitive bidding design) were determined by the Commission in the 
1995 GWCS Second Report and Order, 60 FR 40712 (August 9, 1995), and 
may be further addressed by the Commission. Because the Commission is 
subject to a statutory deadline of August 9, 1998, for licensing GWCS, 
there is insufficient time to seek comment on auction procedures after 
a ruling by the Commission. Rather, the Bureau finds that in these 
circumstances, it is in the public interest to maximize the time 
available to bidders between announcement of auction procedures and the 
start of the auction. Therefore, the Bureau will announce specific 
bidding procedures by public notice upon the release of the GWCS 
auction rules.

III. Conclusion

    8. Comments are due on or before February 13, 1998, and reply 
comments are due on or before February 20, 1998. To file formally, 
parties must submit an original and four copies to the Office of the 
Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, Room 222, 1919 M Street 
N.W., Washington, DC 20554. In addition, parties must submit one copy 
to Kathleen O'Brien Ham, Chief, Auctions and Industry Analysis 
Division, Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Federal Communications 
Commission, Room 5202, 2025 M Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554. 
Comments and reply comments will be available for public inspection 
during regular business hours in the FCC Public Reference Room, Room 
239, 1919 M Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.

Technical Data on the Navy Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) 
System

I. Introduction

    The purpose of this annex is to describe the technical 
characteristics of the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) Data 
Distribution System. The CEC, a major new networking system being 
developed by the military to provide connectivity between air, land, 
and sea units for Theater Air Defense, will operate in the bands 
immediately adjacent to the 4635-4685 MHz band. In order to minimize 
mutual interference between the CEC system and prospective GWCS users, 
certain CEC technical characteristics are being made available so that 
GWCS equipment can be designed to reduce susceptibility to 
interference. While details of the overall CEC program will remain 
unavailable for public release, the technical parameters as described 
below have been recently declassified to facilitate the release of this 
basic data. (The point of contact at the Naval Electromagnetic Spectrum 
Center is Mr. Scott A. Hoschar, at (202) 764-0312, or fax (202) 764-
2666. The CEC Program Office point of contact is Ms. Lalitha Avula, 
PEO(TAD)CB12, at (703) 602-7413, or fax (703) 602-9181.)

II. Technical Parameters

    The CEC operates in the bands above and below the 4635-4685 band. 
In order to comply with NTIA regulations, the CEC authorized bandwidth 
will be contained wholly within the adjacent Federal bands so that it 
does not impinge upon the 4635-4685 MHz band. To achieve this, the 
center frequency of any CEC transmitted signal will not fall within the 
range 4624 to 4696 MHz.
    The CEC system employs high power transmitters with directional 
antennas to achieve a maximum e.i.r.p. of 58 dBW (630 kW). Under most 
deployment scenarios, this maximum e.i.r.p. level will be directed 
towards the operational areas defined below or out to sea. However, 
under certain conditions, this maximum e.i.r.p. value may be directed 
at the horizon and inland from aircraft operating in the areas defined 
below.
    The CEC emission characteristic was designed to be spectrally 
efficient to exceed NTIA requirements for unwanted emissions. Specific 
spectral parameters are as follows:

                             CEC Spectrum Roll-off Characteristics at 4635-4685 MHz                             
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                        Lower band edge                                          Upper band edge                
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                        Frequency power                                          Frequency power                
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                     (MHz)                        (dBW/4kHz)                  (MHz)                 (dBW/4kHz)  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4635.00.......................................            -3.8  4685.00.........................            -3.8
4636.10.......................................            -7.8  4683.90.........................            -7.8
4643.95.......................................           -17.8  4676.05.........................           -17.8
4653.00.......................................           -37.8  4667.00.........................           -37.8
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[[Page 6183]]

    Transmitter Noise: Between 4649.6 and 4670.4 MHz, less than -87 
dBW/Hz.
    Harmonics and Spurious: Less than -80 dBc, that is, dB below 
carrier power.

II. Operating Areas

    The location in which large numbers of CEC nodes will be operating 
includes a number of Naval/joint military exercise areas. CEC units 
will be located on ships and aircraft, and at land based sites. The 
normal operating areas are coastal waters and the contiguous land mass 
extending 30 nautical mile inland. The operating altitude of CEC-
equipped aircraft will typically extend to 35,000 feet.

Cooperative Engagement Capability Operating Area Descriptions

    Eight areas are identified as essential to support training with a 
large number of Cooperating Units in a CEC network. The significance of 
these areas is that airborne CEC units with high power transmitters are 
expected to be flown directly overhead and extending out to sea in and 
around existing military operational areas. The areas are as follows.
    (1) The area extending 30 nautical miles (nm) inland from the 
Atlantic Ocean between Wilmington, North Carolina (NC) and Lewes, 
Delaware (DE) facilitate Atlantic Fleet exercises. The land based CEC 
terminals at Wallops Island, Virginia (VA), Eastville, VA, and Dam 
Neck, VA are within the boundaries established for the Atlantic Fleet 
exercises. The Cherry Point and Onslow Bay NC areas are also included. 
The Naval Air Warfare Center at Patuxent River, Maryland (MD) and 
facilities at Greenville, South Carolina (SC), Jacksonville, Florida 
(FL), and St. Petersburg, FL are not included in the inland areas. The 
exclusion of the four sites does not preclude CEC Radio Frequency (RF) 
emissions at these sites.
    (2) The area extending 30 nm inland from the Gulf of Mexico between 
the Louisiana (LA)-Mississippi (MS) state border and Panama City, FL, 
to support Gulf of Mexico exercises. The area includes Gulfport and 
Biloxi, MS, and Pensacola and Eglin AFL, FL.
    (3) The area extending 30 nm inland from the Pacific Ocean between 
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California (CA) and Point Mugu Naval Air 
Station, CA, to support Pacific Fleet exercises.
    (4) The area extending 30 nm inland from the Pacific Ocean between 
Newport Beach, CA, and the CA-Mexico international border to support 
Pacific Fleet exercises. The area includes Camp Pendleton, CA.
    (5) The area that includes the White Sands Missile Range, New 
Mexico (NM) and the Fort Bliss Military Reservation, Texas (TX) and NM 
to support the joint Chiefs of Staff Roving Sands Exercise.
    (6) The area that includes the China Lake Naval Weapons Center and 
the Fort Irwin Military Reservation, CA.
    (7) All of Hawaii, including the Pacific Missile Range Facility.
    (8) All of Puerto Rico, including the Armed Forces Weapons Test 
Facility.

Potentially Affected Economic Areas

    The following Economic Areas appear to be within the parameters 
defined by the Navy as being potentially affected by the CEC system. 
Estimated power levels within the 4635-4685 MHz band should be 
calculated on the basis of range from the boundaries of the CEC 
operating areas and the technical parameters given above.

        Cooperative Engagement Capability Impacted Economic Areas       
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                                                               Economic 
      Economic area                      Name                    area   
                                                               grouping 
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3.......................  Boston-Worcester-Lawrence-Lowell-            1
                           Brockton, MA-NH-RI-VT.                       
5.......................  Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY......            1
6.......................  Syracuse, NY-PA..................            1
7.......................  Rochester, NY-PA.................            1
8.......................  Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY-PA.....            1
9.......................  State College, PA................            1
10......................  New York-No. New Jer.-Long                   1
                           Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA-MA-VT.                   
11......................  Harrisburg-Lebanon-Carlisle, PA..            1
12......................  Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atl.                 2
                           City, PA-NJ-DE-MD.                           
13......................  Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV-           2
                           PA.                                          
14......................  Salisbury, MD-DE-VA..............            2
15......................  Richmond-Petersburg, VA..........            2
16......................  Staunton, VA-WV..................            2
17......................  Roanoke, VA-NC-WV................            2
18......................  Greensboro-Winston-Salem-High                2
                           Point, NC-VA.                                
19......................  Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC...            2
20......................  Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport               2
                           News, VA-NC.                                 
21......................  Greenville, NC...................            2
22......................  Fayetteville, NC.................            2
23......................  Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-            2
                           SC.                                          
24......................  Columbia, SC.....................            2
25......................  Wilmington, NC-SC................            2
26......................  Charleston-North Charleston, SC..            2
27......................  Augusta-Aiken, GA-SC.............            3
28......................  Savannah, GA-SC..................            3
29......................  Jacksonville, FL-GA..............            3
30......................  Orlando, FL......................            3
33......................  Sarasota-Bradenton, FL...........            3
34......................  Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater,             3
                           FL.                                          
35......................  Tallahassee, FL-GA...............            3
36......................  Dothan, AL-FL-GA.................            3
37......................  Albany, GA.......................            3
38......................  Macon, GA........................            3
39......................  Columbus, GA-AL..................            3
40......................  Atlanta, GA-AL-NC................            3

[[Page 6184]]

                                                                        
41......................  Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson,             2
                           SC-NC.                                       
42......................  Asheville, NC....................            2
45......................  Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol,              2
                           TN-VA.                                       
46......................  Hickory-Morganton, NC-TN.........            2
47......................  Lexington, KY-TN-VA-WV...........            2
48......................  Charleston, WV-KY-OH.............            2
53......................  Pittsburgh, PA-WV................            2
54......................  Erie, PA.........................            1
73......................  Memphis, TN-AR-MS-KY.............            3
74......................  Huntsville, AL-TN................            3
75......................  Tupelo, MS-AL-TN.................            3
76......................  Greenville, MS...................            3
77......................  Jackson, MS-AL-LA................            3
78......................  Birmingham, AL...................            3
79......................  Montgomery, AL...................            3
80......................  Mobile, AL.......................            3
81......................  Pensacola, FL....................            3
82......................  Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula, MS...            3
83......................  New Orleans, LA-MS...............            3
84......................  Baton Rouge, LA-MS...............            3
85......................  Lafayette, LA....................            3
86......................  Lake Charles, LA.................            3
87......................  Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX.........            5
88......................  Shreveport-Bossier City, LA-AR...            3
89......................  Monroe, LA.......................            3
90......................  Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR            3
122.....................  Wichita, KS-OK...................            5
126.....................  Western Oklahoma, OK.............            5
127.....................  Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-AR-OK......            5
128.....................  Abilene, TX......................            5
129.....................  San Angelo, TX...................            5
131.....................  Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX...            5
135.....................  Odessa-Midland, TX...............            5
136.....................  Hobbs, NM-TX.....................            5
137.....................  Lubbock, TX......................            5
138.....................  Amarillo, TX-NM..................            5
139.....................  Santa Fe, NM.....................            5
140.....................  Pueblo, CO-NM....................            5
141.....................  Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO-KS-NE.            5
151.....................  Reno, NV-CA......................            6
152.....................  Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT-ID......            5
153.....................  Las Vegas, NV-AZ-UT..............            6
154.....................  Flagstaff, AZ-UT.................            5
155.....................  Farmington, NM-CO................            5
156.....................  Albuquerque, NM-AZ...............            5
157.....................  El Paso, TX-NM...................            5
158.....................  Phoenix-Mesa, AZ-NM..............            5
159.....................  Tucson, AZ.......................            5
160.....................  Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange                 6
                           County, CA-AZ.                               
161.....................  San Diego, CA....................            6
162.....................  Fresno, CA.......................            6
163.....................  San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose,              6
                           CA.                                          
164.....................  Sacramento-Yolo, CA..............            6
172.....................  Honolulu, HI.....................            6
174.....................  Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin              3
                           Islands.                                     
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[FR Doc. 98-3085 Filed 2-5-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P