700MHz spectrum auction is now over

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Well, the largest and most lucrative airwaves auction in the history of the US is now over with bids totaling up to $19.6 billion, but the FCC has its lips sealed (for once) on the 1,099 license winners. We’ll find out in 10 days who won the C-block that went for $4.74 billion while the D-block found no love from anyone and the FCC will be hashing out a new plan to divvy up the block meant for emergency services and commercial customers. There were some local shenanigans that you can read after the jump if you’re interested.

The winning bids on licenses covering big cities included $892.4 million for airwaves in Chicago, and $884.7 million for New York and Newark, New Jersey. Licenses for two separate spectrum swaths in Los Angeles sold for $580.3 million and $484 million, according the FCC’s Web site.

U.S. Airwaves Bids Total $19.6 Billion; Auction Ends [Bloomberg]