In spring 2000, the British government auctioned off licences for Third Generation mobile telecommunications services. In the preparation of the auction, two designs involving each a hybrid of an English and a sealed-bid auction were suggested by the government: a discriminatory and a uniform...

The paper provides an analysis of the impact of supply uncertainty on the formation of prices and on the seller's expected revenue in sequential first- and second-price sealed bid auctions. Attention is paid to the seller's optimal policy regarding the release or withholding of information about...