FCC Reports 266 Bidders in 700 MHz Auction

Pull up a chair, this is going to be one entertaining auction. As the WSJ notes, the FCC today revealed that it has received applications from 266 potential bidders in the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction. The FCC Wednesday issued two lists of potential bidders: those with applications considered to be complete, and those that have incomplete applications. The lists includes a large number of obscure bidders, along with some household names. The spectrum auction consists of five blocks, each with different characteristics; the information released today does not indicate which blocks the bidders are targeting.

Among the publicly traded or otherwise noteworthy bidders:

• Google (GOOG) Airwaves Inc.
• Towerstream (TWER)
• Vulcan Spectrum, apparently a company connected with investor Paul Allen.
• Alltel, which earlier this year was taken private by TPG and Goldman Sachs.
• AT&T (T) Mobility Spectrum
• CenturyTel (CTL) Broadband Wireless
• Chevron (CHV) (Why Chevron is bidding I have no idea.)
• Cincinnati Bell (CBB) Wireless
• Cox Wireless (Which I assume is connected to Cox Cable)
• Iowa Telecommunications Services (IWA)
• MetroPCS (PCS) 700 MHz LLC
• Qualcomm (QCOM)
• Cablevision (CVC), bidding as CSC Spectrum Holdings
• Verizon Wireless (VZ), (VOD), bidding as Cellco Partnership
• Advance/Newhouse, controlled by the Newhouse family, owners of various publishing and cable assets.

Comments

[haydete]

CHV is Churchill Investors, a "blank check company which was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, stock purchase, asset acquisition with an unidentified operating business in the communications, media or technology industries." Chevron is ticker CVX.