The Federal Communications Commission said 168 bidders have qualified to participate in the advanced wireless services auction, and that it would not use blind-bidding procedures during the auction.
| Click here for the latest headlines from the AWS auction. Click here for full AWS auction coverage. |
The auction “will be conducted using the information-disclosure procedures typically used during past FCC auctions,” said the commission.
Among the qualified bidders are Cingular Wireless L.L.C., Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA Inc. and rural telecom carriers.
Bidders with the largest upfront payments include the consortium of satellite TV companies, with an upfront payment totaling more than $972 million, according to analyst firm Raymond James. The Sprint Nextel Corp. cable TV venture followed, pledging more than $637 million. Cingular has a $500 million upfront payment; T-Mobile USA counts an upfront payment of $584 million; while Verizon Wireless has an upfront payment of more than $383 million.
The AWS auction is for 1,122 licenses being sold to offer service in the 1710-1755 MHz and 2110-2155 MHz bands. The auction is set to start Aug. 9.
The commission is planning two rounds of bidding on Aug. 9 and moving to three rounds of bidding per day on Aug. 10, Raymond James said.
