Google says it was willing to shell out for spectrum

Google Inc., the world’s most popular Internet search engine, said Thursday that it had been prepared to spend more than $4.6 billion for wireless airwaves to ensure that open-access rules were met in this year’s federal auction.

For many days, Google was the high bidder in the auction for a swath of airwaves called the C-block, the Mountain View, Calif., company said. Bidding had to reach at least $4.6 billion to trigger rules forcing the winner to open its network to any legal device. Verizon Wireless bid more than $4.7 billion to win the auction.

Google said it raised its own offer 10 times when there were no other bids to make sure that there was “aggressive bidding” and that the openness conditions would be applied. The company plans to weigh in with the Federal Communications Commission as that agency sets rules for the C-block.

Google offers mobile search, mapping and e-mail services.