After 260 rounds of bidding over more than seven weeks, the government auction for the 700 Mhz wireless spectrum has ended.
The winning bids totaled over $19 billion -- nearly double the amount the commission had hoped to raise from the spectrum, which is being vacated next year by television stations as they switch to new frequencies.
The government hasn't yet released the names of the winning bidders, but analysts guess that Verizon and AT&T bought the biggest chunks to fill in holes in their existing networks.
In December, Google confirmed that it would put in a bid.
It is not expected that Google will win the bid, but the company already won a victory in the process -- the company maneuvered to get regulators to mandate that the winner of the spectrum operate it on an open basis. The FCC agreed to half of Google's suggestions, including the provision that allows consumers to use any mobile device and third-party application on the spectrum.
For perspective on what the sale might yield, read "Google vs. carriers: The wireless ad revolution."
