Watching the C Block Spectrum Auction in Real Time: Just Like E-Bay (if the Item was Worth about $5,000,000,000).

Now that the reserve price has been met, the open platform requirements on the C block 700 MHz spectrum auction are a guarantee. So what's left to do? Well, let's watch what happens:

Point your browser to:
https://auctionsignon.fcc.gov/signon/index.htm

Under the "Public Access" section, choose the "Auction 73" option from the pull-down menu and click the "Go" button.

Then click the "Results" tab (up at the top of the page).

Why watch? Because one of two things is about to happen -- either the results will keep going up (the current bid as of a few minutes ago is $4,713,823,000) or they'll stay the same. While bidders are anonymous and I can't guarantee anything, chances are, if the bid stays the same, there's only one bidder (probably Google unless Verizon got in just under the wire); if the results keep going up, then there's at least a couple groups bidding.

If the results keep going up, could be that Google is actually making a play for the spectrum (or it could be that two incumbents are battling it out); if things stay the same, well, could be that Google's the only one bidding.

Either way, with new rounds happening every 30 minutes -- it's a way to watch the future of telecommunications unfolding right before your very eyes. Personally, I've got my office desktop computer tuned to this while I'm working on my laptop.

Exciting stuff!