A discussion about the Telecommunication Industry

FCC has completed its auction of a new band of airwaves in the 700 MHz spectrum.  The 700 MHz is currently being used by traditional of the air analog television.  Next year all over the air television broadcasts will be digital, freeing up the 700 Mhz to be auctioned off.

The biggest winner of the auction was Verizon Wireless.  Verizon Wireless won licenses for every state except Alaska.  This will allow Verizon Wireless to roll out the next generation of high speed wireless technology across the country.  Verizon paid $9.6 billion for the licenses.  One caveat is that Verizon must allow open access to any handset that can use the new spectrum.  This would have been a very big deal, except that Verizon had already decided to open its network to any handset.  AT&T wireless also opened its network earlier this year.

AT&T also bought $6.6 billion in new licenses