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From the News Desk
Monday, 24. March 2008
Winners of FCC 700MHz Auction Announced
The Federal Communications Commission made public the results of the 700-megahertz spectrum auction. The auction raised USD 19.6 billion, more than the Commission ever hoped and the prime chunks went to the big Internet carriers.
Verizon spent USD 9.6 billion, and AT&T USD 6.6 billion in the auction that included an "open-access" provision in which users on roughly one-third of the airwaves would be able to use any phone or software and see other data services expanded. With its winning bid, Verizon now owns the C-block of the 700 MHz band while AT&T won 227 licenses from among the B block of regional licenses.
Two outsiders with wireless video connections were successful top bidders: Frontier Wireless, owned by satellite television company EchoStar, and San Diego-based Qualcomm, owner of the MediaFLO mobile broadcast system. EchoStar won nearly enough licenses to create a nationwide footprint with its USD 712 million in bids. Qualcomm purchased rights to airwaves in major markets such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston and Philadelphia with its USD 558.1 million bid.
Google, which had pushed for opening up at least some of the spectrum over the initial resistance of Verizon and AT&T, did not garner any licenses in the auction.
For its part, the FCC emerged as a winner and said in a statement, "The auction which resulted in USD 19.2 billion in gross winning bids and USD 18.96 billion in net winning bids is the largest auction in FCC history. Revenues raised in this auction exceeded congressional estimates of USD 10.182 billion by approximately 187 percent...and advanced new wireless open platform policies, created opportunities for new entrants and small businesses both nationwide and in rural markets.
FCC auction rules prevent bidders from commenting until next month.
Verizon spent USD 9.6 billion, and AT&T USD 6.6 billion in the auction that included an "open-access" provision in which users on roughly one-third of the airwaves would be able to use any phone or software and see other data services expanded. With its winning bid, Verizon now owns the C-block of the 700 MHz band while AT&T won 227 licenses from among the B block of regional licenses.
Two outsiders with wireless video connections were successful top bidders: Frontier Wireless, owned by satellite television company EchoStar, and San Diego-based Qualcomm, owner of the MediaFLO mobile broadcast system. EchoStar won nearly enough licenses to create a nationwide footprint with its USD 712 million in bids. Qualcomm purchased rights to airwaves in major markets such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston and Philadelphia with its USD 558.1 million bid.
Google, which had pushed for opening up at least some of the spectrum over the initial resistance of Verizon and AT&T, did not garner any licenses in the auction.
For its part, the FCC emerged as a winner and said in a statement, "The auction which resulted in USD 19.2 billion in gross winning bids and USD 18.96 billion in net winning bids is the largest auction in FCC history. Revenues raised in this auction exceeded congressional estimates of USD 10.182 billion by approximately 187 percent...and advanced new wireless open platform policies, created opportunities for new entrants and small businesses both nationwide and in rural markets.
FCC auction rules prevent bidders from commenting until next month.
