700MHz hits reserve price, open-access provision triggered
Posted on January 31, 2008 by Dan
The FCC auction for the 700MHz spectrum has hit round 17, and the minimum bid of $4.6 billion for the “C block” has been surpassed with a bid of $4.7 billion, triggering the open-access provision. What this means is that whoever ultimately wins this auction will be required to provide access to any compatible device.
Things were tense for three rounds prior to round 17 with no bids being submitted, causing some to speculate that bidders were unwilling to cross that magic number.
So who placed the $4.7 billion bid? Google?
The auction is anonymous and only the winning bids are disclosed at the end of each round, not who placed it, due to anti-collaboration rules. The winner will be announced once all bidding stops.
[Via Electronista]
