This means that T-Mobile has now bid for a total of 58 licenses for a total of $3.75bn.
The auction is expected to run until no more bids have been received. T-Mobile USA needs more spectrum if it to build a 3G network in the US, and take on it much larger rivals, such as Sprint Nextel, Cingular, and Verizon Wireless.
Parent Deutsche Telekom AG recently shocked the markets after it slashed its earnings and sales forecast for the year, and posted disappointing second quarter results.
For the second quarter ending June 30, DT posted a net profit of 1bn euros ($1.29bn), down 14% from 1.17bn euros ($1.5bn) a year earlier. Sales rose 2.6% to 15.13bn euros ($19.44bn) from 14.74bn euros ($18.94bn).
The problem for DT is that its domestic fixed-line operations are in free fall, and it has lost an astonishing one million fixed-line customers in the six months of 2006. Yet the biggest headache for DT is that the decline in fixed-line is no longer offset by the growth of its mobile operations, and it desperately needs to build up its star performer, T-Mobile USA, if it is to make a serious challenge on the US mobile market.
