The Federal Communications Commission will be auctioning off a slice of national spectrum for the first time in 5 years on January 14, 2014. The block — known as PCH H and in the 1900MHz band — will be opening up at a minimum bid of $1.56 billion. The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act — passed in 2012 — mandated that blocks of spectrum be auctioned off in order to contribute funding to a program to build an LTE network for police, fire officials and other first responders. AndroidCentral speculates that companies Sprint and Dish may show interest in the auction because they own slices of adjacent spectrum.