Clearwire isn't having any luck getting Sprint (NYSE: S) and cable partners Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC-WI) and Bright House Networks to pony up a little more cash to keep its 4G WiMAX rollout rolling, so it's auctioning some wireless spectrum to pay the bills.
Reports say that Clearwire is in the second round of auctioning as much as a 40 MHz slice of its spectrum in each market in an effort to raise up to $5 billion in operating cash. Bold facers like AT&T (NYSE: T), Verizon Wireless, (NYSE: VZ) and Deutsche Telekom (XETRA: DTE.DE) have all lined up to bid on the airwaves along with partners TWC and Sprint. An even bigger list of corporate spokesfolks have declined to comment on the reports--which means they also didn't deny they are true.
Clearwire, much to the chagrin of Sprint, has been in talks with competing wireless operator T-Mobile to try to get a cash infusion. Meanwhile, the nationwide broadband wireless for business player could also face competition from newly formed LightSquared which is promising to build and wholesale services on a satellite-based broadband wireless network.
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