FCC’s C- and F-block auction continued to linger around $16.8 bil...

FCC’s C- and F-block auction continued to linger around $16.8 billion mark Tues., with Verizon Wireless remaining virtually unchanged in top slot with $8.8 billion in high bids. In sign that bidding for 422 PCS licenses continued to drag, as few as 9 new bids were made in one round Tues. afternoon. In last 10 rounds, bids have increased only $150 million. In all, auction has gone 85 rounds since starting Dec. 12. AT&T Wireless-backed Alaska Native Wireless had $2.9 billion in high bids, followed by Cingular Wireless-backed Salmon PCS with $2.3 billion, DCC PCS with $546.1 million, Cook Inlet with $499.2 million, VoiceStream PCS with $482.3 million and Leap Wireless International with $350 million. Licenses still drawing new bids are mostly smaller markets in southern and western parts of country. Separately, Leap Wireless said late Tues. it had reached agreement with Qualcomm, which will provide wireless carrier with $125 million in financing to support its bidding. Qualcomm is planning to transfer to Leap auction discount voucher it previously received from agency. Qualcomm stipulated it had no role in auction. Leap said it would repay Qualcomm for value of voucher in form of loan payable in single payment within 5 years. Qualcomm had received voucher from FCC as part of litigation settlement involving pioneer’s preference license.