Gizmodo Australia » 700mhz

Analysts Say Ring the Bell, Verizon Set to Win 700MHz Auction

Matt Buchanan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:29:35 +0000

It’s been our hunch all along that Verizon would take all in the 700MHz spectrum auction, but analysts are now confirming our suspicions from the other day: Verizon is set to win the most hotly desired slice of airwaves in the country, which can be used for anything from an entirely new mobile broadband service to boosting their current data setup. Whatever they do with it, they’ve gotta keep it open. [Forbes]

Juicy 700MHz Auction Developments: Google Punked Out?

Matt Buchanan — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 05:04:51 +0000

While the hot and heavy 700MHz a(u)ction is anonymously taking place behind closed doors, we do know a couple of big things have happened. That potential winning bid from Thursday was punked down by a surprise total bid of $4.74 billion. This is juicy because it indicates Google has probably been outbid—assuming it was the party that pushed the bid past the $4.6 billion open access reserve, as it had promised—most likely by Verizon, using some slightly complicated rule shuffling with the regional licenses comprising the block.

As Saul Hansell points out, if we see the bidding continue to escalate, it indicates that Google might actually be playing to win (though it’s doubtful), as long what we’re seeing isn’t an influx of bidders locked out of the B block pool by rocketing prices—driven up, no doubt, by big telcos looking to patch up holes in their 700MHz network.

Like say, AT&T, whose purchase of $2.5 billion worth of 700MHz spectrum licenses back in October finally got the FCC rubber stamp earlier today. Regardless, the picture will start getting clearer a lot quicker as of tomorrow, when the auction moves into the higher stakes phase 2, where entrants are basically forced to bid hard and fast. [Bits, PC World]

Potential Winning Bid in 700MHz Spectrum Auction

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 17:37:54 +0000

The fight for the 700MHz spectrum has reached a milestone: an anonymous bidder has made a $4.7 billion offer, surpassing the minimum reserve price of $4.6 billion.

Rev Your Engines, FCC 700MHz Spectrum Auction Starts Today

Matt Buchanan — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:29:56 +0000

Going once, going twice, sold to Verizon! Or something like that. The FCC’s 700MHz spectrum auction starts today, and you can watch all of the hot bidding action right here. It’s auction 73, and the page is so exciting I nearly peed my pants.

Don’t know what the hell we’re talking about? No worries, scan our ultimate guide to the 700MHz auction and why you should care about it. [FCC]