The FCC’s spectrum auction continues on despite announcements that it should be coming to a close soon. Approximately 100 licenses are still getting bids, primarily those in the B-block and E-block sections of the spectrum. A couple of licenses, primarily in ND, that had received no bids until now have started to get some attention. Although the bids are much lower than when the auction first began, each new round of bidding brings in over $4 million. This is helping the total amount of the auction inch closer to the $20 billion that would mark double the minimum amount originally anticipated by the FCC.

The D-block remains silent as no additional bids have been placed on it since the first round of the auction. Reports indicate that some people are concerned about the fact that no public safety spectrum will be established because of this. The anonymity of the auction makes it difficult to know who has done what in the auction. However, it is known that Frontline Wireless had lobbied strongly for this part of the spectrum and then disappeared from the auction before it began. Those people with concerns about D-block are asking for an investigation into the matter to find out what happened to Frontline. In the meantime, the auction is closed for the three-day weekend and will resume again on Tuesday.