CNN - Verizon, AT&T win wireless airwave auction

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Verizon, AT&T win wireless airwave auction

The nation's cell phone companies won big in a record-setting government airways auction, the Federal Communications Commission announced Thursday.

AT&T Inc. and Verizon Wireless, the nation's two biggest cell phone carriers, were some of the top bidders, dampening hopes that the auction would dramatically increase competition for wireless services.

Google Inc. was not among the winners, meaning the search engine giant will not be entering the cellular telephone business.

The auction, overseen by the FCC, attracted a record $19.6 billion in bids. Bidders were anonymous, but the agency released the names Thursday.

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."

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 blocks that cover every state with the exception of Alaska.

Google posted a package bid for the C block licenses early in the auction, assuring that the open-access provision would be put in place, but it was not enough to win.