Verizon Wins Key FCC Auctions

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Verizon Wins Key FCC Auctions
WSJ
By COREY BOLES
WASHINGTON -- Verizon Wireless was the biggest winner of  
communications spectrum in the Federal Communications Commission's  
recently concluded auction, the agency's chairman said Thursday.

The company, which is jointly owned by Verizon Communications Inc. and  
Vodafone Group PLC., won six large licenses that effectively will give  
it a national license to provide next-generation wireless broadband  
service in the so-called C-Block of the spectrum being sold.

In addition, it was the largest winner of licenses in the A-block,  
which are medium-sized licenses, and won 77 more in the B-Block, the  
smallest licenses that were being auctioned off.

Of the potential newcomers, Echostar Communications Inc., the  
satellite television provider, won significant numbers of licenses,  
enough to provide the company with a nearly nationwide license.

Google Inc., another potential newcomer, didn't win any licenses, FCC  
Chairman Kevin Martin said at a press conference at the agency's  
headquarters.

AT&T Inc. won 227 of the smallest licenses being sold, but didn't pick  
up any in the larger blocks being auctioned off.

The auction closed earlier this week, with $19.6 billion being raised  
by bidders for the airwaves.

Write to Corey Boles at corey.boles () dowjones com


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