Satellite Orbital Slot Auction
In 2023, Innovative Auctions supported Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission in conducting its first auction of specific orbital slots for communications satellites.
Our work included advising on the auction rules, developing customized auction software, establishing auction-day procedures, training the Satellite Bureau’s staff, and providing on-site support during the live auction. We also prepared bidder training materials and a comprehensive software manual.
Because this was the Satellite Bureau’s first auction project, we worked closely with the NBTC team to build a shared understanding of the auction design and the principles underlying a fair, transparent, and effective allocation process. Through a series of workshops, we explained the proposed mechanics, examined alternative approaches, and assessed their likely implications for bidder behavior and auction outcomes.
The adopted format used a sequential clock auction for individual orbital-slot licenses. This required careful consideration of issues such as the sequencing of the lots, the interaction between bidding decisions across licenses, and the strategic implications of high-value bids in a concentrated bidder environment. We helped the regulator evaluate possible rule refinements and avoid additional mechanisms that would have increased complexity without providing sufficient benefits.
Drawing on our experience with complex, high-stakes auctions, we supported the NBTC in translating its regulatory objectives into practical auction rules, software functionality, and operational procedures. The result was a secure, transparent, and successfully implemented auction process for a new and strategically important category of licenses.