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AT&T, Verizon Will Dominate New Airwaves

Wireless spectrum auction saw no major first-time entrant

By Laila Weir, Newser User

Posted Mar 21, 2008 1:37 PM CDT

(Newser) – AT&T and Verizon were the two top bidders in the airwaves auction that ended this week, representing 80% of the FCC’s record $19.6 billion haul and positioning themselves to offer advanced wireless Internet services, reports the Wall Street Journal. Google, sans licenses, was another winner, gaining open access to a chunk of spectrum that mostly went to Verizon.

Verizon also agreed before the auction ended to open its network to outside devices. AT&T won 227 spectrum licenses around the country for $6.6 billion, while Verizon got 109 licenses for $9.4 billion. The auction didn’t produce any major new entrants, though Dish Network acquired a significant share of licenses. Auction winners must not discuss their plans for the spectrum before early April.

[Images (4)]

[Videos (4)]

Buildings on Market Street are seen reflected in a Verizon sign in Philadelphia, in this April 30, 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file)

The logo of Google, seen on the front door of the new Google Engineering center in Zurich, Switzerland, in this March 6, 2008 file photo. (AP Photo/Keystone, Walter Bier, file)

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin speaks during a hearing on localism, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2007, at the FCC headquarters in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

The AT&T logo is seen on one of it's buildings in San Antonio, Monday, April 23, 2007. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Frontline Wireless: Ram Shriram on 700 MHz Spectrum Auction (FrontlineWireless (YouTube))

Frontline Wireless: Harold Feld on 700 MHz Spectrum Auction (FrontlineWireless (YouTube))

Wireless Spectrum Auction and Small Business (1) (HouseSmallBizDems (YouTube))

Wireless Spectrum Auction and Small Business (4) (HouseSmallBizDems (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

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AT&T, Verizon Will Dominate New Airwaves