Report: Martin says June auction likely

FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said an auction of spectrum earmarked to bolster commercial wireless carriers’ broadband offerings likely will begin in June, according to a Reuters report.

Martin commented on the matter to reporters after the FCC’s meeting on Friday, saying he “didn’t have any other plans” than to conduct the spectrum auction in June, as the agency originally proposed in December 2004, according to Reuters. Much of the spectrum to be auctioned is being cleared by government agencies, most notably the Department of Defense.

Last month, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) estimated that the cost of moving government operations from the 1710-1755 MHz band would be $936 million, which will be reimbursed to the agencies through proceeds raised from the auction. In addition to the 1.7 GHz airwaves, the auction likely will include bidding for the 2110-2155 MHz frequencies.