Wednesday was the filing deadline for companies that want to participate in the planned auction for Multichannel Video Distribution and Data Service (MVDDS) licenses in January, and the list of planned participants and non-participants wasn't much of a surprise.
Northpoint Technology, the Washington, D.C., company most associated with MVDDS, confirmed that the company and its Broadwave affiliates did not file applications to participate in the auction. It's believed that MDS America, another MVDDS player, did file an application to participate in the auction.
The MVDDS auction is set for Jan. 14 at the Federal Communications Commission. The auction has been the subject of contentious legislation on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers debating a provision in an appropriations bill that could restrict the bidding process at the FCC.
Satellite interests have been closely watching developments with MVDDS. They're worried the wireless technology, which would share frequencies used by DBS, will interfere with satellite TV signals.
