2016 United States wireless spectrum auction
Auction 1001 reallocated 100 MHz of UHF television spectrum for wireless use.
The 2016 United States wireless spectrum auction, called Auction 1001, made about 100 MHz of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) spectrum available. This spectrum had previously been used for UHF television in the 600 MHz band. The auction and the changes that followed were made possible by Title VI (The Spectrum Act), which was part of a payroll tax cut extension that Congress passed on February 17, 2012.
In 2008, an earlier auction for UHF television spectrum in the 700 MHz band had raised $19.6 billion from companies like AT&T and Verizon. That auction reallocated the UHF space that had been used by channels 52 through 69, after the United States completed its switch from analog NTSC to digital ATSC television in 2009. In effect, the digital transition had freed up 25% of the UHF television spectrum.
Wireless broadband internet providers wanted more broadcast spectrum for their own use. In March 2009, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry introduced a bill that called for a study on how to use the spectrum more efficiently. The CTIA, a wireless industry lobbying group, pushed for an additional 800 MHz of spectrum. David Donovan, from the Association for Maximum Service Television, noted that further cuts to UHF broadcast frequencies were being considered. He argued that the 2 GHz S band, which had been set aside for mobile satellite service a decade earlier but remained unused, would be a better target than taking more UHF space. The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and the AMST told the FCC that the government should first make full use of the 700 MHz UHF spectrum and other already-allocated spectrum before asking for more. Companies that stood to benefit, however, urged the government to look everywhere for additional spectrum. Many broadcasters objected to any further reduction of UHF broadcast spectrum.
A study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) claimed that $62 billion worth of spectrum could become $1 trillion for wireless use. One proposal would have required all TV stations, including low-power stations, to give up all their spectrum, with subsidized multichannel services replacing over-the-air television. This came even after viewers had spent heavily on the DTV transition.
- Official name
- Auction 1001
- Spectrum allocated
- approximately 100 MHz
- Frequency band
- 600 MHz band (UHF)
- Authorizing legislation
- Title VI (The Spectrum Act) of the payroll tax cut extension
- Date of authorization
- February 17, 2012
Lore & Background
The auction followed years of debate over broadcast spectrum reallocation. Wireless broadband interests had pressed for more spectrum, with the CTIA lobbying for 800 MHz of additional spectrum. Broadcasters, including the National Association of Broadcasters and the Association for Maximum Service Television, objected to further encroachment on UHF broadcast frequencies, arguing that the government should first make maximum use of the newly available 700 MHz UHF spectrum and other already-allocated spectrum. Some broadcasters pointed to the 2 GHz S band, allocated for mobile satellite service but unused ten years after allocation, as a more appropriate target. The Consumer Electronics Association study claimed that $62 billion worth of spectrum could become $1 trillion for wireless, while broadcasters countered that the 'total value' of broadcasting encompassed broader public policy objectives such as universal service, local journalism, and public safety. The National Broadband Plan, announced in March 2010, had called for reclaiming 120 MHz from broadcasters, with 36 MHz coming from channels 46 through 51 by 2015 through repacking.
Reader's Guide
The 2016 auction represented a significant shift in U.S. spectrum policy, converting broadcast television frequencies to licensed wireless broadband use. Its significance lies in the ongoing tension between broadcasters and wireless carriers over spectrum allocation. Broadcasters had spent $15 billion on the digital television transition and argued that further cuts would undermine their ability to provide free over-the-air television, particularly in rural areas. The auction also highlighted the government's role in spectrum management, as the FCC sought to address what its broadband advisor Blair Levin described as a 'crisis in five or six years' if action were not taken. The legacy of Auction 1001 includes the repacking of remaining television stations into a narrower UHF band, a process that affected both full-power and low-power stations. The auction's structure as an 'incentive auction' allowed broadcasters to voluntarily relinquish spectrum in exchange for a share of auction proceeds, a mechanism that had been debated for years. The outcome demonstrated that broadcast spectrum could be repurposed for mobile broadband, though it also underscored the challenges of balancing commercial wireless demand with the public service mission of over-the-air television.
Did You Know?
- The auction was authorized by Title VI of the payroll tax cut extension passed on February 17, 2012.
- The 2008 700 MHz band auction generated $19.6 billion from companies such as AT&T and Verizon Communications.
- The National Association of Broadcasters opposed ending broadcast TV because the industry spent $15 billion on the digital transition.
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