Bidding on H Block spectrum was called off for Feb. 5 after 42 rounds. According to the FCC, bad weather in Gettysburg, where the online auction is conducted, was to blame since a number of staffers couldn’t get to the office, according to an FCC spokesperson.
At close of bidding Tuesday, the total was $1,239,928,500, with 51 new bids in that round. All 176 licenses have been bid on multiple times.
The auction continues until there is no action for a round—no bids, withdrawals or waivers.
Bidding is scheduled to resume with round 43 Thursday at 10 a.m., weather permitting.
The H block auction is the first of three FCC auctions mandated by Congress with the goal of freeing up wireless broadband spectrum and raising money for FirstNet, an interoperable broadband network, and to pay down debt if there is anything left.
That auction trio will culminate in the broadcast incentive auction in 2015.
