US bags $45bn in wireless spectrum auction

Published January 31, 2015
— REUTERS/file
— REUTERS/file

WASHINGTON: The US government is getting nearly $45 billion from an auction of wireless spectrum, highlighting surging demand for new devices which connect to the Internet.

The Federal Communi­cations Commission said the auction ended Thursday raised $44.89bn, the highest amount ever for this type of sale.

The auction comes amid huge demand for spectrum to meet the needs to people using smartphones, tablets and other devices that connect to the Internet such as cars, refrigerators and wearable gadgets.

The move adds 65 megahertz of spectrum “to improve wireless connectivity across the country and accelerate the mobile revolution that is driving economic growth and improving the lives of the American people,” FCC chairman Tom Wheeler said.

Published in Dawn January 31st, 2015

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