Yesterday, the FCC announced the list of applicants to the upcoming 700 MHz spectrum auction. Of the 266 applications submitted, only 96 were accepted, and another 170 were deemed incomplete (but these will be given a chance to provide the required information and participate). You can download both lists, along with the announcement here at the FCC’s Website. Some interesting names popped up in both lists, not least of which is Paul Allen’s Vulcan Ventures and (as expected) Google Airwaves, both accepted bidders. Most of the names are obscure holding companies or regional telecom companies.
What is even more interesting is the list of incomplete applicants, which is filled with major telecom companies who should know how to fill out these applications by now. They include:
Alltel Corporation
AT&T Mobility Spectrum
Chevron
Cox Wireless
Frontline Wireless (aka Licenseco)
Qualcomm
Verizon Wireless (aka Cellco Partnership)
Verizon Wireless was not listed under its own name in either list, although Reuters reports that the company did file an application. [Update: Verizon was listed under Cellco, per one of our sharp-eyed commenters, and added above. Anyone know Craig McCaw's holding company name?]
(Photo by Steve Jurvetson)
chevron?
( Michael Buffer voice ) “Let’s get ready to rumble….!”
Is anyone really suprised that these large comapnies cant fill out a form correctly? If so you have never worked with one of them on a project…
I hope google takes it as it seems they will be the only noe to do something worth while with the space. Down with the boring old wireless carriers!
I thought google applied, was their application denied? Erick any news on google’s role here?
Thanks.
PHEW…
So glad you gave that guy credit for that Flickr photo. Just don’t want to take any chances nowadays
Do we know the deadline date of when the auction comes to a close and the winner is decided?
Chevron? My thoughts exactly!
What the heck would they use it for? Well, I could think of a number of things… but really… Chevron?
Erick, Verizon Wireless is listed as “Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless,” the holding company they use to bid on spectrum.
@Chris Ragobeer: Auction begins Jan. 24, and will take months. It’s anonymous bidding, so we won’t see the bidders in progress like we did during the last auction.
Yeah, I have no idea what Chevron is up to—a private wireless broadband service for gas station attendants? I just had to include them.
Rons, @4, Google did apply and was accepted. Read the post. The list is the companies that with incomplete applications.
Chris, @3, you are right, the irony of tech companies being better at filling out FCC forms than the wireless carriers is the punchline here.
How about free – ”trucker wireless” … would be many niches` -
Think about the web, any ”common product name” domain is worth a million dollars (tshirts.com, sunglasses.com, shoes.com etc….)
– now we are opening basically – wireless domains / to companies who can afford it – and niche ‘wireless domains’ to – the smaller local tel cos’
over all this is good
The auction process is an interesting read. The auction is conducted “electronically” over the web, sounds like the original Google IPO.
Their documents also state that participating in the auction, if using the browser-based method, requires either MS Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher or Netscape Communicator 6.0 or higher. Both need a Java plug-in in order to work. And, the Mac OS is not supported.
Good thing Steve Jobs didn’t bid on this…
“Verizon Wireless was not listed under its own name in either list”
Yes they are, they’re on the Incomplete list under their corporate name, Cellco Partnership. It even lists “dba Verizon Wireless” right next to it.
Not filling out the form correctly is a classic strategy. It allows you to make additions/modifications after you see who is serious about bidding. You don’t see the other bids, but knowing who is in is important. Most of the major telecoms ’screwed up’ their application for just that reason. It’s a chance to up the ante after you’ve seen who folded first, and fold yourself if you need. Smart move, not stupid.
You all know that Google is going to win the bid, right?
You guys aren’t very creative. Chevron is in the distribution business.
They’re bidding on this because of their gobs and gobs of cash on hand and they would rather invest that into something. When they outbid everyone on this, they can easily leverage it for something else. They can even work out a deal to get Google to pay them to use the spectrum.
Chevron will win this auction. We simply cannot have Google win. Would be great for our wireless/mobil bill, but terrible for the economy. What do you think about this Erick?
no Google bids on this one?
@Eric – Craig McCaw’s company is called Fiber LLC. http://www.seci...d11MXs.2KKu.htm
I would be surprised if it didn’t make it.
If Clearwire isn’t in (if they are whoever they are bidding as is non-obvious) then they are pursuing a pure white spaces strategy. Google also has cards at the white spaces table.
http://www.mark...8F33ACE46916%7D
Re-reading the news, I guess Clearwire said they were out a couple of weeks ago. So looking for McCaw’s presence in the auction may not turn up too much.
Is this the same thing I’ve been signing petitions against? Yea, so what, I might not know what I’m talking about but I sure do sign alot of petitions.
http://action.f...15;3gw22wnww53?
Open Letter to Congress
Subject: FCC Votes for Big Media: Throw the Rules Out
Send this message to:
¤ Your Senators
¤ Your Representative
Dear Members of Congress,
We write to you today to ask you to act swiftly to overturn the FCC’s Dec. 18 vote to relax media ownership rules.
We have spoken out against media consolidation in every way we know how: attending hearings, writing letters, submitting comments. However, on Dec. 18, the FCC ignored this widespread public opposition — just like it did in 2003. The FCC has turned its back on its mission and its mandate. Their decision to let Big Media get even bigger will erode localism, diminish minority ownership, and decrease competition.
Please take action now to overturn the FCC’s reckless action.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
Most of them just wanna get their names in the news.
fakesteveballmer.blogspot.com
Is Vegas or anyone else taking bets on who will win the various blocks of spectrum?
I believe C block is were all the action is. It would be great to know who the favourite was to get it. I’ve noticed some analysts say that it most certainly isn’t Google.
Chevron.
What does a “tower company” have that a country wide chain of gas stations can’t deliver pretty easily?
Gas stations are already distributed fairly nicely for coverage, are powered up and may be networked.
Those rejected companies don’t know how to feel the form could have outsourced this work.
Chevron could also be looking at the Gulf of Mexico – perhaps for their oil rigs? As for the C block, it is a big block of spectrum, but likely to go for high prices — the reserve price is over $4.6Billion for the block. It will be interesting to see the new entrants go up against the incumbents, but because of the anonymous bidding we won’t know who is who until the close of the auction. You’ll be able to watch it online, though, at auctions.fcc.gov.
As for AT&T not having their application accepted, was everyone asleep when they recently spent 2.5 bil on 700MHz spectrum ahead of this auction, so they have no need to take part and have the jump on everyone else