WT Docket No. 14-170: Updating Part 1 Competitive Bidding Rules; GN Docket No. 12-268: Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions; RM-11395: Petition of DIRECTV Group, Inc. and EchoStar LLC for Expedited Rulemaking to Amend Section 1.2105(a)(2)(xi) and 1.2106(a) of the Commission’s Rules and/or for Interim Conditional Waiver; WT Docket No. 05-211: Implementation of the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act and Modernization of the Commission’s Competitive Bidding Rules and Procedures
On March 30, Brian Ford of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association (“NTCA”), Erin Fitzgerald of the Rural Wireless Association, Inc. (“RWA”), and John A. Prendergast and Cary Mitchell of the law firm Blooston, Mordkofsky, Dickens, Duffy & Prendergast, LLP (“Blooston Rural Carriers”) (together, “Rural Coalition”) met with Louis Peraertz, Senior Legal Advisor to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn.
Consistent with their individual comments and reply comments in these proceedings, members of the Rural Coalition discussed the poor results of Auction 97 for the rural telephone industry, and their proposal for the Commission to offer a rural telephone company bidding credit in the forthcoming 600 MHz Broadcast Incentive Auction.