Google and Verizon may have grabbed all the headlines surrounding the FCC's upcoming 700MHz auction, but they will have plenty competition trying to grab a license for the coveted wireless spectrum. So far, 266 companies have applied to take part in the auction, with 96 of them being accepted and the rest having to provide more details before the 4 January deadline for submissions.
Some of the expected applicants on the list were Google, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Qualcomm. Vulcan Spectrum, a venture led by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, is also on the list and plans to bid on some spectrum as well. No further information about what portion of the 700MHz spectrum each company is bidding on has been made available, due to auction rules restrictions. The next step for these companies, according to the FCC, will be to submit their upfront payments by January 4 in preparation for the January 24 start of the auction.