FCC Left $22.5 Billion 'on the Table' in AWS-3 Auction, Phoenix Center Says

The FCC “left a staggering $22.5 billion on the table” in its recently concluded AWS-3 auction, the Phoenix Center said Wednesday in a report. The FCC raised almost $45 billion for the 65 MHz of AWS-3 spectrum, setting a new record for a U.S. spectrum auction (see 1501290059). FCC adoption of a hybrid block-sized approach likely reduced auction revenue by $1.5 billion, while the commission’s decision not to pair the 1695-1710 MHz band with complementary spectrum likely reduced auction revenue by up to $21 billion, the center said. “The AWS-3 auction signals the industry's low confidence with the government's willingness and ability to increase the supply of spectrum for commercial purposes,” said center Chief Economist George Ford in a news release.