Charter, Comcast, Cox on sidelines in FCC’s C-Band spectrum auction

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) yesterday announced the results of its C-Band (3.7–3.98 GHz) wireless spectrum auction. The auction raised more than $81.1 billion in bids – none of it from the large cable MSOs. While a holding company created by Charter and Comcast as well as Cox Communications were listed as eligible bidders, the FCC revealed that the three companies either didn’t win any bids or didn’t bid at all.

Overall, 21 winning bidders split 5684 licenses. The largest spenders were Verizon (bidding as Cellco Partnership) at more than $45.4 billion for 3511 license, AT&T bidding more than $23.4 billion for 1621 licenses, and T-Mobile offering more than $9.3 billion for 142 licenses. Several rural communications service providers came away with spectrum, including Agri-Valley Communications, East Kentucky Network, Grand River Communications, Horry Telephone Cooperative, Pioneer Telephone Cooperative, Smith Bagley, and Union Telephone Co. Dish Networks, bidding as Little Bear Wireless, successfully bid just over $2.5 million for a single license. Meanwhile, private equity firm Grain Management spent more than $1.2 billion for 10 licenses bidding under the name NewLevel II. The table lists the successful bidders.