FCC Plans Auction Changes

FCC chair Kevin Martin has announced the agenda for a May 14th public meeting, and it includes an item related to the auction of the so-called D Block of spectrum designated for a nationwide public safety network. According to the description of the item released by the FCC, it is, “a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would revisit the Commissions decisions concerning the mandatory 700 MHz Public/Private Partnership between the D Block licensee and the Public Safety Broadband Licensee.” It’s not clear what other changes the proposal might make to the auction, which occurred earlier this year without a successful bidder for the spectrum (there was just one bid, and it didn’t meet the FCC’s minimum).