Airwave Bidding Nears End With Record Total

Bidding almost ground to an end Thursday in the Federal Communications Commission’s auction of valuable airwaves to providers of wireless services as offers reached a record $16.85 billion after 99 rounds.

Only five new high bids were placed in the last round held during the afternoon session as companies battled over smaller markets such as Cheyenne, Wyo., Columbus, Ind., and Walla Walla, Wash., FCC data showed.

Verizon Wireless, the joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone Group, held a commanding lead in the overall auction, offering $8.78 billion for 113 licenses, including $2 billion for each of two licenses covering New York City.

Alaska Native Wireless was in a distant second place, bidding $2.89 billion for 45 licenses, including a $1.48-billion bid for the third license available for New York City. The firm has ties to AT&T; Wireless Group Inc.

In the eight rounds held Thursday, 36 new high bids were placed in smaller markets covering Melbourne, Fla., Rocky Mount, N.C., and Paris, Texas, among others.

Cingular Wireless, the joint wireless mobile phone venture of SBC Communications Inc. and BellSouth Corp., trailed Verizon and Alaska Native Wireless, offering about $2.35 billion for 80 licenses.

The 422 licenses up for sale are expected to be used by companies to fill gaps in coverage and deploy new services. The sale broke the agency’s previous auction record, which was set in 1996 when $9.2 billion was bid for similar personal communications service licenses.