AWS auction ends with $13.7B in total bids

Sep 20 2006 - 12:02 AM ET | 3G, Data

The US government sponsored Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) auction has ended and raised a total of $13.7 billion. The auction started on August 9th and fell within expected proceeds. There were 161 rounds of bidding and only 35 of the 1,122 licenses received no bids.

T-Mobile USA came out as the top bidder, winning 102 licenses for a cool $4.2b. Verizon and Sprint kept up strong with $2.8b and $2.4b respectively. The new spectrum should help the wireless companies expand (or in T-Mobile's case, start) 3G networks. However we won't know their exact plans because of an FCC rule that requires the winners to stay mum until the ink dries.