• January 27, 2022

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently released the winners of Auction 110, which offered 5G spectrum licenses in the midrange 3.45 to 3.55 GHz band. The auction concluded with total bids reaching $22.5 billion, making it the third largest spectrum auction in FCC history.

Auction 110 offered 100 MHz of mid-band spectrum, divided into 10 equal 10 MHz blocks. These blocks were licensed by geographical areas, also known as Partial Economic Areas (PEAs), creating a total of 4,060 flexible-use licenses across the U.S. Bidders were limited to four blocks in a licensed area.

AT&T, DISH, and T-Mobile were the top three spenders at the auction. Combined, AT&T’s and DISH’s winning bids made up 73 percent of the total $22.5 billion raised at the auction. AT&T spent a total of around $9.1 billion, winning 624 licenses in 406 of 416 total license areas. DISH followed slightly behind, spending approximately $7.4 billion, winning 1,232 licenses that also covered 406 of 416 license areas. T-Mobile, rounding up the top three, spent almost $2.9 billion for 199 licenses in 79 license areas. Verizon, a major player in the FCC’s previous C-band spectrum auction, did not win any licenses in Auction 110. Now, AT&T holds almost the same amount of spectrum below 6 GHz as Verizon.

“The 3.45 GHz auction results demonstrate that the commission’s pivot to mid-band spectrum for 5G was the right move,” said Jessica Rosenworcel, Chairwoman of the FCC. “I am pleased to see that this auction also is creating opportunities for a wider variety of competitors, including small businesses and rural service providers. This is a direct result of the commission’s efforts to structure this auction with diversity and competition front of mind.”

For more information about Auction 110, visit the FCC’s website.

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Sources:

lightreading.com/5g/5g-spectrum-auction-maps-winners-and-big-spenders-auction-110-of-345-355ghz/d/d-id/774696#5G

theverge.com/2022/1/15/22885320/att-dish-tmobile-5g-spectrum-billions-auction

telecompetitor.com/att-dish-are-top-winners-in-3-45-ghz-auction-comprising-73-of-over-22-5b-raised/

fiercewireless.com/wireless/att-dish-top-list-fccs-345-ghz-auction-winners

cnet.com/tech/mobile/at-t-and-dish-big-winners-in-latest-5g-auction/

rcrwireless.com/20211022/spectrum/auction-110-update-18-7-billion-and-counting

fcc.gov/auction/110