That was quick! The results of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Advanced Wireless Services (AWS-3) auction that wrapped up on June 23 are out. While Verizon bid the heaviest, T-Mobile won the most licenses.
The Big Three dominate the auction
AWS-3 auction results. | Image by FCC
T-Mobilesnagged 102 licenses for $277.8 million. Verizon, bidding as Cellco Partnership, won 82 licenses for a whopping $3.2 billion. AT&T was the highest bidder for just 10 of them, dropping $120.8 million.
For reference, the FCC raised $3.5 billion from 17 participants, selling a total of 200 licenses. This means Verizon accounted for 90% of the total spend.
PerLight Reading, Verizon effectively scooped up the highest-value licenses in key markets such as New York, Chicago, and Boston.
T-Mobile's winnings will help it deploy coverage in rural areas.
Even EchoStar won two licenses, but no one knows what it plans to do with them.
What about SpaceX?
SpaceX secured two licenses for a total of $8.5 million. According to BNP Paribas, the company initially bid for six licenses, including paired spectrum covering the mainland US. It later withdrew those bids, walking away with one unpaired uplink in Band 70 and one paired license in Band 66 covering the Gulf of Mexico.
Paired licenses include both uplink and downlink frequencies and are considered useful for direct-to-cell satellite services.
Roger Entner, founder of Recon Analytics, believes SpaceX might use it to provide connectivity for "cruise ships, jets, and other maritime use cases" in the Gulf of Mexico. The other license might be used for a trial network. Alternatively, it might be used to fill a gap in the Band 70 spectrum purchased from EchoStar.
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Entner also views the results as a sign that SpaceX will bid aggressively in the upper C-band auction.
What's SpaceX game plan?
Only pressuring carriers.
24.24%
To build a network.
44.44%
To buy a carrier.
31.31%
99 Votes
Changing course
Securing just two of the six licenses that it had its eyes on hints that SpaceX changed its strategy during the auction. Alternatively, it may have deemed the prices too high.
The company said today it might build its own terrestrial network, confirming recent rumors. However, this may be nothing more than a bluff, with TMF Associates consultant Tim Farrar noting that a land-based network doesn't exactly play to SpaceX's strength. At most, we may see a portable version of its Starlink Mini satellite internet kit for smartphones.
But threats to buy a mobile operator or build a terrestrial mobile network seem like a paper tiger, which would do nothing to leverage SpaceX’s “core strengths” as set out in the S-1.
Tim Farrar, TMF Associates consultant, June 2026
What is it going to be?
SpaceX is hard to read right now. On one hand, it could be threatening to launch a network just to negotiate better revenue terms with T-Mobile and other partners.
On the other hand, it has secured most of the things required for building a network, including spectrum, regulatory approvals, and brand identity. It also has the financial wherewithal to buy more spectrum, but incumbents may not be willing to sell.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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