Dutch LTE spectrum auction draws $5B in bids

The Netherlands' LTE spectrum auction raised an astonishing $5 billion (€ 3.8 billion), significantly more than the € 480 million the Dutch government had expected to attract. KPN, Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom's T-Mobile all won licenses, as did new entrant Tele2 of Sweden. Vodafone paid € 1.38 billion for nine licenses, KPN paid € 1.35 billion for 15 separate licenses, while T-Mobile spent €  911 million on 15 licenses and Tele2 paid € 161 million and won two licenses. Up for bid were 41 separate spectrum licenses for frequencies within the 800 MHz, 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands, which the Dutch state telecoms agency said was the biggest auction in the country's history. For more on the auction results, see this FierceWirelessEurope article.