April 23, 1997

Mr. James Hillyard
Alaskan Choice Television, L.L.C.
8287 Top of the World Drive
Salt Lake City, Utah  84121

                    Re:  Alaskan Choice Television, L.L.C.'s Petition for Waiver of
                         the Upfront Payment Deadline

Dear Mr. Hillyard:

     On April 16, 1997, you filed a request on behalf of Alaskan Choice Television, L.L.C.
("Alaskan Choice") seeking permission to increase Alaskan Choice's upfront payment for the
Wireless Communications Service ("WCS") auction.  Specifically, you asked that the
Commission permit Alaskan Choice to submit additional monies after the expiration of the April
4, 1997, upfront payment deadline, and after the April 15, 1997, start of the WCS auction.

     After reviewing the facts and legal arguments presented in your filing, I am denying this
request.  The Commission has repeatedly emphasized that it is incumbent upon auction
applicants to remain cognizant of important auction-related filing requirements and appropriate
deadlines.  As I indicated in my April 15, 1997, telephone conversation with Stephen Merrill of
your staff, the Commission's auction software must be programmed prior to the start of an
auction to take into account each bidder's eligibility, which is determined by the amount of its
upfront payment.  Were I to grant your request, which was made eleven days after the deadline
for submission of upfront payments, and more importantly, after the WCS auction had
commenced, the harm to other auction participants could be substantial.  There is also no
precedent for granting a waiver of the upfront payment deadline, and I do not believe it is in the
public interest to do so in this case.   

     Therefore, your request IS HEREBY DENIED.

                              Sincerely,




                              Kathleen O'Brien Ham
                              Chief, Auctions Division
                              Wireless Telecommunications Bureau