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Tue, Oct 07, 2008 - 12:03 PM EDT — AAPL: 95.22 (-2.92, -2.98%) | NASDAQ: 1851.07 (-11.89, -0.64%)

Verizon wins 700MHz national license, most regional licenses

Thursday, March 20, 2008 - 03:43 PM EDT

"Verizon was the winner of the nationwide license for the crucial 700MHz wireless auction as well as most regional licenses, the FCC has revealed," MacNN reports.

"An initial list of winners shows the telecoms giant to have successfully won both the national license as well as 11 out of 12 of the local licenses available for the 'C' block that is likely to be used for wireless data. The licenses supply the company with coverage across all of the US and would allow it to launch any future service with few gaps in its network," MacNN reports.

"Only AT&T Mobility has managed to win a major regional "C" block bid for coverage in the Mississippi Valley, according to government documents," MacNN reports.

More in the full article here.

The Associated Press reports, "Verizon Wireless, a joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. and British telecom giant Vodaphone Group, won nearly every license in the consumer-friendly 'C block.'"

AP reports, "The spectrum, which encompasses about a third of the spectrum at auction, is subject to 'open access' provisions pushed by FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, meaning users of the network will be able to use whatever phones or software they wish. Verizon won the regional licenses in the block cover every state with the exception of Alaska."

Full article here.

Grant Gross reports for IDG News, "Verizon was the winning bidder in the 22MHz band of spectrum called the C block in the FCC's 700MHz auction, which concluded Tuesday. The company bid US$4.7 billion for the spectrum, which covers nearly all of the U.S., while the high bids on the entire 700MHz auction totalled nearly $19.6 billion."

"The FCC put so-called open-access provisions on the C block, meaning Verizon must allow outside devices such as mobile handsets from other carriers and must allow users to run outside applications on the network. Verizon originally filed a lawsuit against the FCC's open access rules, but dropped out while trade group the CTIA continued with the lawsuit," Gross reports.

"Among the other winners in the 700MHz auction was AT&T, which won spectrum covering the metropolitan areas of New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, Dallas, Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. and dozens of other large cities. Qualcomm won spectrum covering New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Los Angeles and other areas," Gross reports.

Full article here.

Peter Kaplan reports for Reuters, "Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc. were big winners in the U.S. government's auction of wireless licenses that raised a record $19.59 billion, the Federal Communication Commission said today."

"Verizon Wireless, a joint venture with Vodafone Group Plc, won the nationwide 'C' block of the auction, giving it control of a major piece of the airwaves being vacated by television broadcasters as they move to digital signals in early 2009," Kaplan reports. "The FCC also said that AT&T had won 227 licenses from among the 'B' block of regional licenses."

"Frontier Wireless, a partner of U.S. satellite television company EchoStar, gained airwaves in the "E" block of the auction, covering almost all of the U.S.," Kaplan reports.

More in the full article here.

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Mar 20, 08 - 03:47 pm Comment from: cosmos

great... the loser company using the non-gsm technology is just what everybody needs...

Mar 20, 08 - 03:47 pm Comment from: G Spank

Ugh. AT&T;dropped the ball. Here's to a future with wifi everywhere...

Mar 20, 08 - 03:48 pm Comment from: Banjo

aaawwwww sheeeeeiiit!

Mar 20, 08 - 03:52 pm Comment from: MidWest Mac

This is a joke. This will suffocate innovation. Why spend the time developing technologies that will take advantage of this spectrum if your only choice is to sell it, distribute it or license is it to one company? It'd be a hell of a gamble . . .

Doesn't seem like the iPhone or Touch will benefit as quickly as I had hoped, either.

At least I'm still unbeaten in my NCAA pool . . .

Mar 20, 08 - 03:57 pm Comment from: TurbineSeaplane

Bummer.

Verizon=Controlling M'F'ers

Mar 20, 08 - 04:01 pm Comment from: Bad Tabasco

Would someone explain this in plain English?
How could they possibly win 11 out of 12 areas available over AT&T;?
Does "winner" mean they forked out more money?
What does all this mean?

Mar 20, 08 - 04:06 pm Comment from: John

All the above comments true unless something else is in the works............

Mar 20, 08 - 04:09 pm Comment from: Yebot

Why do I get the feeling that some lobbyist somewhere is celebrating tonight?

Mar 20, 08 - 04:12 pm Comment from: Blue Dream

Verizon's top priority...stifle the iPhone and AT&T;.

Mar 20, 08 - 04:12 pm Comment from: Crabs

That really sucks.

But, at least Google was able to get the FCC to institute the rule on the spectrum that any legitimate device can work on it (aka, not just Verizon's devices). Sure, you have to pay Verizon for use, which always sucks, because Verizon tends to be expensive (at least compared to what I'm used to: T-Mobile).

But thanks to Google, someone like, say, Apple, could still integrate the hardware necessary to run on the band in their product. The only question is: will they do it, when they have their exlcusive deal with AT&T;? I dunno. We'll find out in probably just over a year.

Mar 20, 08 - 04:16 pm Comment from: HMCIV

Yebot, in DC some lobbyist is always celebrating somewhere. )

Mar 20, 08 - 04:18 pm Comment from: Not Bill

Shit.

Mar 20, 08 - 04:20 pm Comment from: Ampar

For now and until the political winds shift, open access rules are still in effect.

Mar 20, 08 - 04:23 pm Comment from: my 2 cents

Bummer! I was hoping someone else would get this. I really don't like Verizon and as soon as my contract with them is up this Summer I am DONE with them.

It will be a cold day in the hot place before I give them another dime!

Mar 20, 08 - 04:23 pm Comment from: G Spank

It's like car companies that own highways.

Mar 20, 08 - 04:30 pm Comment from: Not Bill

$9.6 billion is what Verizon spent. Google and or Apple could have spent that much. We could have had the start of a third wireless network. What a terrible lost opportunity.

Mar 20, 08 - 04:33 pm Comment from: Verizon Vertigo

Just yet another stagnation of US technological advancement originally begun by Microsoft...the europeans and asians are truly laughing at us.
How can any company get 11 of 12 winning bids? The love has not been spread today.

Mar 20, 08 - 05:33 pm Comment from: Goople

this is truly horrible...i blame Google. we're getting a divorce.

What is the point of Verizon owning that spectrum.
Silicon Valley=cowards.

Mar 20, 08 - 06:50 pm Comment from: DogGone

I thought Google were going to go for this? Obviously the rumors were wrong...bigtime.

Mar 20, 08 - 07:04 pm Comment from: Rory Misener

@DogGone:
Google did bid, but only up to the figure that triggered the rule forcing Verizon to allow access to any legitimate device.

Mar 20, 08 - 07:26 pm Comment from: Zune Tang®

Fantastic news! V-CAST everywhere!

I truly think we're gonna see some marvelous innovations from Verizon along the lines of Microsoft's revolutionary Windows Vista and Zune. Congratulations, Verizon. I think I speak for everyone—even the MAC sheep—when I say I can't wait to see what Verizon does next. It's gonna be great.

Your potential. Our passion.™

Mar 20, 08 - 08:11 pm Comment from: bioness

Maybe it's time to move to China everyone...

Mar 20, 08 - 08:13 pm Comment from: @ Zune Tang®

Yeah, riiiight...

Every Verizon customer likes getting nickle and dimed for every little cell phone "feature" that Verizon so generously allows their customers to use.

The exact same phones and features that customers of other telcos typically don't get charged for when they use them to get data to and from their computers.

Mar 20, 08 - 08:24 pm Comment from: can you hear me now

Ugh. AT&T;dropped the ball. Here's to a future with wifi everywhere...

AT&T;? Where the F was Apple at?!?

Steve could've had crucial spectrum, for half the money MS is chasing has-been Yahoo with...

Mar 20, 08 - 10:06 pm Comment from: It's About Time

FCC<>Verizon: This is a good example of how the Republican party works: - limit competition, stifle creativity, constrain accessibility and excessively charge users for the privilege of being manipulated. Makes me want to eat some good old American Apple Pie!

Mar 20, 08 - 11:33 pm Comment from: eMax

Keep in mind, open access has alot of rules,

like each device has to be inter operable. as in all the software needs to work from one device to the other and all data on the device needs to be able to be transfer from one to the other. This is great in a sense, but Verizon is going to over charge for the voice and data usage and we are all going to suffer. All hail WiMax!

Mar 21, 08 - 12:16 am Comment from: John

My bet: AT&T;and Apple really did NOT want it. There's an alternative.

The question is why????

Anyone have any ideas????

Mar 21, 08 - 01:36 am Comment from: tt

BUY VERIZON!

BUY BUY BUY!!!

fools.

Mar 21, 08 - 02:03 am Comment from: richb

Verizon is the worst of the worst. I got in a billing dispute with these jokers, and it took SIX, yes 6 years to get them off my back. I still have to get them off my credit rating. I will never ever, ever do business with Verizon ever again. All over a bill that should have taken one call to fix. This stupid company cannot fix a simple billing mistake (their mistake by the way). Their right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. If any major teleco would go out of business I hope it would be Verizon. I guess I won't be using the 700mhz band, whatever Verizon ends up wasting it on. Pity

Mar 21, 08 - 08:31 am Comment from: zek

So the government has auctioned off the people's air to the highest bidder. Of course they will be spending the windfall on all sorts of good things for the people, so it's time to celebrate!

Why shyster will they all vote for next time?

Mar 21, 08 - 08:53 am Comment from: hedgehogfrenzy

Call me a shill if you want, but I like Verizon. Customer service is always prompt and nice. Cell phone service: flawless coverage where ever I've been. I have their FIOS fiber package at my house: internet, phone and TV, and it beats the pants off of cable and satellite combined. You guys should quit your bitching. They're not that bad. In fact, switching to ATT has been my major hold up to getting an iPhone.

Mar 21, 08 - 09:06 am Comment from: drbyers

AT&T;is about to get pwnt by Verizon.

Mar 21, 08 - 10:12 am Comment from: Synthmeister

"The company bid US$4.7 billion"? Isn't that pocket change for Apple & Google? Man, I wish they had bought that.

Mar 21, 08 - 10:25 am Comment from: Christer

"FCC<>Verizon: This is a good example of how the Republican party works: - limit competition, stifle creativity, constrain accessibility and excessively charge users for the privilege of being manipulated."

Dude, WTF? Leave your baseless political views out of this.

This is not good news for ATT / iPhone. Verizon did exactly what they had to do to stay relevant in the face of the oncoming ATT / iPhone onslaught. Let's hope that they have a successful plan B.

Mar 21, 08 - 08:36 pm Comment from: Ben Dover

@cosmos

"great... the loser company using the non-gsm technology is just what everybody needs..."

Actually it is... I LOVE my iPhone, but AT&T;/GSM service SUX! It's 20 year old European technology (isn't that an oxymoron?)

I love it every time my desk phone at work buzzes b/c the iPhone is communicating w/ the GSM network, or that the paper shredder motor below my desk starts every time than damn GSM phone rings....

GSM BLOWS.... Since I switched from Verizon, everyone I speak to complains b/c the crappy GSM vocoder is so ancient.... Ah... that lovely warm metallic sound! and the audible hand-offs, gotta love that action on GSM.......

and if you didn't know, AT&T;/GSM's version of 3G is nothing more than having stolen an American technology (CDMA) & trying to reinvent it.... of course, b/c it's European, it is only about 1/3 as efficient....

It currently requires 3X the spectrum to get the SAME data throughput as Verizon's CDMA EV/DO technology.... (EV/DO only requires a 1.25 MHz carrier, while UMTS (they actually renamed it HSDPA b/c UMTS got such a bad reputation as a technology b/c it was so far behind in capability) requires a 5 MHz carrier....

HERE'S to a NEW iPhone on Verizon!!!!!!

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Tue, Oct 07, 2008 - 12:03 PM EDT — AAPL: 95.22 (-2.92, -2.98%) | NASDAQ: 1851.07 (-11.89, -0.64%)

Verizon wins 700MHz national license, most regional licenses

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