AT&T is reportedly looking to raise $14 billion to help it buy spectrum in the current auction.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is currently auctioning 5G spectrum, with wireless carriers spending heavily to secure additional resources. While analysts expected it to hit $47 billion, the auction has already crossed $81 billion with several rounds left to go.
According to the TheStreet, AT&T is looking to raise some $14 billion to continue bidding. The auction is critical for AT&T, as well as Verizon, as the 5G wars heat up.
T-Mobile is widely seen as the 5G leader among US carriers. It has a wealth of spectrum, both from past auctions and its recent merger with Sprint. Most importantly, T-Mobile has ample spectrum in the mid-band range, considered the sweet spot for 5G.
The current FCC auction is for that all-important mid-band spectrum. Unlike Verizon, however, some analysts questioned whether AT&T had the financial resources to make the necessary investment it would need to stay relevant. The company’s move to sell DirecTV was seen as a way to raise the needed capital.
In that context, it’s not surprising AT&T is possibly looking to raise $14 billion, although the company has yet to confirm the reports.