Selling off our airwaves......

[Joanne98]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The bidding topped $3.7 billion on the second day of the Federal Communications Commission's auction of government-owned airwaves, but there were no new suitors Friday for a closely watched block of spectrum to be shared with public safety agencies.

The $3.7 billion, up from $2.78 billion on Thursday, represented the highest bids received for five separate blocks of spectrum in the auction, which is eventually expected to net the federal government at least $10 billion.

However, there were no new bids on a nationwide piece of the spectrum, known as the "D" block, which must be shared with public safety agencies under auction rules set by the agency. Thursday's bid of $472 million still stood.

Analysts at Stifel Nicolaus said new bidders could still emerge for the D block airwaves, but they said the prospects for the FCC getting the minimum $1.3 billion price it has set for the block were "declining."

Companies qualified to bid include major carriers AT&T Inc and Verizon Wireless, as well as possible new competitors like Internet company Google Inc, EchoStar Communications Corp and Cablevision Systems Corp.

Identities of bidders will be kept secret, under FCC rules, until the entire auction ends.

Analysts say the major carriers could use the new spectrum to offer consumers more advanced services such as broadband access via mobile phones and wireless broadband to laptop computers.

Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications Inc and Vodafone Group Plc. Continued...

http://www.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUSN2537607920080126

[lib2DaBone]

1. Gestapo Media

The free flow of information is paramount to any Democracy. As you may note, the TV and Radio Stations in this country have been purchased by one political party. The very sad part, is that these TV and Radio Station frequencies are allocated to the American People, not the Corporations. Go back to sleep Sheeple.. everythimg is fine . When you are loaded into Haliburton Prison Camps, don't feign surprise!