GO Communications Corp of Alexandria, Virginia, became the latest high-profile bidder to pull out of the US Federal Communications Commission auction of wireless-communication licenses (CI No 2,763) reserved for small business saying the bidding had reached exorbitant levels partly because of several bidders have questionable legal status. The high prices have forced several well-heeled bidders to bow out, including companies backed by wireless pioneer Craig McCaw and MCI Communications Corp. Go, which had bid as much as $1,100m, had complained to the Commission that rival bidder Nextwave Telecom Inc exceeded foreign ownership rules. Nextwave had bid a total of $3,600m as of the end of last week. As a result of Go’s withdrawal, Alltel Corp withdrew its investment in Go! Communications, which was subject to conditions such as Go’s securing C band licenses, the company said.
