By Gautham Nagesh

WASHINGTON--The Federal Communications Commission said Friday it has delayed a planned reverse auction of TV airwaves until 2015, a decision that reflects the commission's intent on getting the complex proceeding right.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler published a blog post Friday announcing the delay, which was widely expected, saying he hopes the auction will take place in mid-2015. The FCC had set a goal of completing the auction in 2014.

At the auction, TV stations will consider bids to relinquish their airwaves and either go out of business or be placed in another channel. The spectrum will then be put up for licensing by wireless carriers, who covet the low-frequency airwaves because they can cover greater distances and travel more easily through physical barriers.

Observers have called the spectrum auction the most complex proceeding ever undertaken by the FCC. Mr. Wheeler said he has spent more time reviewing the incentive auction than any other issue since taking office, and determined it would be best to wait in order to ensure success. He hopes to avoid any technical difficulties with the software that will be used for the auction.

"I am also confident that the policy challenges are only part of the picture; we must also get the enabling technology right," he said.

Because AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless control most of the spectrum under one gigahertz, the auction is considered particularly crucial for T-Mobile US Inc. and Sprint Corp. because it represents a rare opportunity to obtain low-band spectrum.

Wireless companies are ready for a chance to obtain new spectrum, but at least one interested company said the delay was reasonable. "While AT&T is eager to see new spectrum allocations brought to market as soon as practical, we appreciate the enormity of the task the commission faces," said Joan Marsh, vice president of regulatory affairs at AT&T.

Public interest groups and the smaller wireless firms have lobbied the FCC to set auction rules that would prevent AT&T and Verizon Wireless from scooping up all the low-band spectrum at the auction. Mr. Wheeler has hinted that he is open to such limitations, but has yet to tip his hand one way or another.

There is also considerable pressure on the FCC to maximize revenue from the auction. The proceeds will be used to compensate broadcasters and fund a $7 billion public safety communications network known as FirstNet, and some worry that limiting the ability of AT&T and Verizon to bid could depress the prices paid for the airwaves.

It remains unclear whether enough broadcasters will sign up for the auction, which is voluntary. Stations affiliated with the Big Four networks aren't expected to participate, leaving smaller stations aimed at religious, ethnic and local audiences as the most likely participants. Whether those stations will yield enough spectrum for the auction to be deemed a success is an open question.

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