Broadband

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

Feb. 25, 2021

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.

Stephen Hardy

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.

About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director & Associate Publisher

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, DOCSIS technology, and more.