FCC’s 28 GHz auction surpasses $700M

The FCC’s auction of 28 GHz spectrum officially surpassed $700 million after 35 days of bidding activity. The total amount of provisionally winning bids has reached $700,984,710 after 152 rounds of bidding.

Activity has picked up slightly after a period of lull, but the auction is suspended today for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and will resume Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. EST. The total amount of provisionally winning bids grew in round 152 by $301,000, representing a .04% change in the total amount bid to date.

The last round of bidding before the weekend and federal holiday ended with 34 new bids. The highest new bid was placed for a license covering Coconino, Ariz., for $654,000 and the lowest bid was placed for a license covering Emmons, N.D., for $1,500. A license covering Lewis, Wa., garnered a new bid for $401,000. Six other regions garnered bids above $100,000, including Valley, Mont., Roosevelt, Mont., Henry, Iowa, Columbia, Wisc., Grays Harbor, Wash., and Daniels, Mont.

RELATED: FCC’s 28 GHz auction continues but appears to be slowing

Most to the FCC’s operations have been suspended since Jan. 3 due to the partial government shutdown, but the spectrum auction has continued without interruption because staffers that manage the auction are paid out of auction proceeds. The auction will come to a close when a round ends with no new bids placed.