PUBLIC
NOTICE

       Federal Communications Commission
       1919 M St., N.W.
       Washington, D.C. 20554
       
                                                                         
                                                                DA 96-146
                                                           February 7, 1996
                    REMINDER TO AUCTION PARTICIPANTS:
 Exercise Caution In Submitting Bids and Make Use of Available Safeguards                         
     This Public Notice serves as a reminder to participants in the ongoing FCC spectrum
auctions -- and for applicants in future auctions -- that authorized bidders should be careful and
verify their bids prior to submission to avoid mistakes.  A few electronic bidders participating
in the 900 MHz Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR) and the broadband Personal
Communications Services (PCS) C Block auctions have allegedly submitted erroneously high
bids due to human error.  The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau is seeking comment on
the appropriate approach to such errors.  See "Comment Sought on Requests to Waive Bid
Withdrawal Payments and General Enforcement Guidelines," Public Notice, DA 96-145 (rel.
Feb. 7. 1996).  
     
     Normally, a bidder that withdraws a high bid during the course of an auction is subject
to a withdrawal payment equal to the difference between the amount of the amount bid and the
amount of the winning bid the next time the license is offered by the Commission.  See  47
C.F.R.  1.2104(g)(1).  Bidders therefore should pay close attention to their bids and utilize
all available safeguards to ensure that bids are not submitted in error.  Once a bid is submitted,
bidders are fully responsible for the consequences of any errors they make, unless relief is
granted.  Below are several safeguards (incorporated as part of our electronic bidding process)
that we urge bidders to utilize in order to avoid errors.  We emphasize that we are continuing
to develop and improve our bidding software to make it even more difficult for bidders to
make such mistakes in future auctions.

Safeguard No. 1:  Verify Dollar Amount For Each Market

        On the "Bid Submission" screen, electronic bidders should verify the dollar amount
     entered for each market appearing under the column entitled, "Enter Your Bid Here." 
     Bidders should double check the bid amounts whether they have been typed in using
     the FCC's software, or uploaded from the applicants' spreadsheet software.

Safeguard No. 2:  Avoid An Extra Zero In "Go To Market" Function 

        Bidders may utilize the "Go To Market" function to select a particular market in
     which to place a bid.  Once the market is selected, the number "0" (zero) appears in
     the column entitled, "Enter Your Bid Here" (the "bid column").  At this point, the





     cursor appears to the left of the zero, and the zero is not highlighted.  As a result,
     when a bidder begins keying in a bid amount, the zero remains in the bid column as the
     bid amount's final digit.  Bidders utilizing the "Go To Market" function should 
     ensure that they manually delete the zero appearing in the bid column prior to entering
     a bid.  The zero may be deleted by highlighting the zero and then entering the bid
     amount, or by moving the cursor to the right of the zero (using the "right arrow" key)
     and then entering the bid amount.  In lieu of utilizing the "Go to Market" function,
     bidders may scroll down the "Bid Submission" screen to find a particular market. 
     Under this approach, the zero in the bid column is highlighted.  Consequently, once a
     bidder enter a bid amount for a market, the zero is automatically deleted.         

Safeguard No. 3:  Bidders Should Check Total Bids Prior to Submission

        On the "Bid Submission" screen, bidders should check the amount appearing next to
     the word "Total" at the bottom of the column entitled "Enter Your Bid Here."  If this
     amount appears to be incorrect, bidders should review the individual bids for each
     market. 

Safeguard No. 4:  Print a "Preview" Bid Confirmation Report

        After the "Bid Submission" screen has been completed, but prior to actual
     submission of the bids, bidders should print a "Preview" of the bid confirmation
     report.  Bidders should check the "Preview" for the accuracy of each bid and the
     corresponding activity level.  

Safeguard No. 5:  Once You Hit "Submit," You Can Still Go Back 

        When a bidder clicks on the "Submit" button, an "Attention" message appears which
     states the following: "You are about to submit all of your bids for this round.  You will
     not be able to submit a bid again in this round.  Is this what you want to do?"  The
     bidder is then given the opportunity to click on "Yes" or "No."  A "No" response gives
     the bidder an opportunity to further review its bids prior to submission.  A bidder
     should not click on "Yes" unless and until it has confirmed that its bids are accurate.  
     Even after a bidder clicks on "Yes," however, the bids are not considered submitted
     until an "Information" screen appears stating, "Your bid has been submitted."  At that
     point, bidders may print a bid confirmation report, which reflects the confirmed bids
     submitted to the FCC.


For further information on these safeguards, and on the ongoing auctions generally, contact: 
John Spencer (MDS); Diane Law (SMR); or Louis Sigalos (PCS C Block) at (202) 418-0660. 


                             -FCC-