The FCC on Friday finally unveiled the list of participants in the upcoming forward spectrum incentive auction, revealing it has received a total of 104 applications to take part.
According to the commission, 69 applicants successfully submitted complete applications, while another 35 companies filed applications that were deemed incomplete.
Among those in the clear are Tier-1 carriers Verizon and T-Mobile as well as U.S. Cellular. AT&T, however, has found itself on placed on the list of applications that need more work.
It looks like former Facebook executive Chamath Palihapitiya wasn’t bluffing about his plan to participate in the auction, either. The name of the dark horse player’s firm, Social Capital, also appears on the list of completed applications.
As expected, Comcast has also taken a paddle in the bidding under the name CC Wireless Investment LLC, a company spokesperson said Friday. That application was listed among those on the “Complete” list.
But the common name of another expected bidder does not appear on the lists.
Dish Network’s name or those of its previously used designated entities – SNR Wireless and Northstar Wireless – weren’t present on either list. The company could not immediately be reached Friday afternoon to comment on whether it is using designated entities under other names.
Additionally, Sprint parent company SoftBank Group, which rumors recently suggested would participate, did not appear on either list under that name.
Correction window
The FCC said AT&T and others who have filed incomplete applications will have until 6 p.m. ET on April 6 to submit corrections. The application resubmission window will open at 10 a.m. ET Monday, March 21.
The commission stressed that the deadline is a hard one and applications who miss the window for corrections will be barred from participation.
“This will be the only opportunity to cure application defects,” the FCC wrote in its public notice. “If an application is deemed incomplete or otherwise deficient after the resubmission deadline has passed, the applicant will not be permitted to participate in bidding.”
While those with complete applications do not have specific deficiencies to correct, the FCC said companies with that status may make “minor changes” to their applications.
This article has been updated to include information from Comcast specifying its bidding identity.
Filed Under: Telecommunications (Spectrum)
