ASHINGTON, Sept. 5 — The Federal Communications Commission said today that it had raised about $320 million from the auction of airwaves to 14 companies for mobile wireless data services, dispatch, mobile telephony and other services.
The Nextel Spectrum Acquisition Corporation, a subsidiary of the wireless telephone company Nextel Communications, was the biggest bidder, spending $231.5 million to acquire 800 licenses.
Behind Nextel was Southern Communications Services, a unit of the Southern Company, which bid $50.8 million to acquire 89 licenses, according to the F.C.C.
The 800-megahertz airwaves can also be used for two-way acknowledgment paging and inventory tracking, credit card authorization, automatic vehicle location, fleet management, voice-mail and facsimile service.
The agency said 1,030 licenses were auctioned to 14 bidders in 76 rounds. The 23 that were not sold will be added to a future auction.
The next auction of the 800-megahertz specialized mobile radio services will begin on Nov. 1, the F.C.C. said.
Nextel shares were down $2.11, to $51.39, on Nasdaq, while Southern's shares were up 67 cents, to $30.63, on the New York Stock Exchange.
