NERA And Alkera Aid QUALCOMM In Australian
Spectrum Auction
Licenses Valued At $79 Million (US) Cover 12.3 Million Customers In Eight Major Australian
Markets
INTERNET WIRE -- NERA (National Economic Research Associates), a global economic consulting firm, and Alkera, an
auction software firm, provided strategic auctions advice to San Diego-based QUALCOMM Incorporated (Nasdaq: QCOM -
news), which successfully participated in Australia's third-generation (3G) mobile spectrum auction of licenses in the 2GHz band.
NERA and Alkera assisted 3G Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM, throughout the
auction process. QUALCOMM purchased 10 MHz of paired spectrum at the Australian Communications Authority-set minimum
reserve price of A$159 million (approximately US$79 million). The licenses cover a total of 12.3 million potential customers in the
eight major Capital City markets, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Darwin and Canberra.
QUALCOMM is pleased with the acquisition and the support received from NERA and Alkera. Working with team leader Dr.
David Salant of NERA throughout the auction process, QUALCOMM was able to secure the properties it desired. Dr. Salant, a
NERA Senior Vice President, is a leading international auctions specialist and a distinguished game theorist. He has provided
auction design and bidding strategy support to dozens of clients around the world. Using auctions to allocate spectrum rights is a
fairly recent innovation to replace a subjective administrative procedure with a market-based mechanism.
Spectrum auctions generally present complex acquisition opportunities. The rules may be intricate, and there may often be a high
degree of uncertainty regarding what might be available at the end of the auction. According to Dr. Salant, a well-conceived
business and bidding strategy together with preauction preparation is essential to a bidder's success. "A solid grasp of the auction
design and rules, together with careful planning and contingency preparation will allow bidders to obtain their desired properties at
excellent value. I think this was certainly the case for QUALCOMM."
QUALCOMM Incorporated (www.qualcomm.com) is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless
communications products and services based on the Company's Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) digital technology.
QUALCOMM has licensed its essential CDMA patent portfolio to more than 100 telecommunications equipment manufacturers
worldwide. Headquartered in San Diego, California, QUALCOMM is included in the S&P 500 Index and is a 2000 FORTUNE
500® company traded on The Nasdaq Stock Market® under the ticker symbol QCOM.
Alkera is a firm recognized as a leader in the development of auction software and auction analysis software.
National Economic Research Associates, Inc. (NERA) is an international firm of consulting economists widely recognized for its
work in auctions, energy, antitrust matters, securities litigation, telecommunications, employment and discrimination, intellectual
property, environment, health, transportation, international trade and sports. NERA is a member of the Mercer Consulting Group,
the consulting sector of MMC (Marsh & McLennan Companies). Visit NERA at www.nera.com.
Contact:
Allan Ripp
212-721-7468
arippnyc@aol.com
Kristina Sepetys
415-291-1042 |
