In 2010 an auction of new spectrum allowed his mobile competitors to offer 3G mobile-data services.

ECONOMIST: Carlos Slim

When the FCC last conducted similar auctions in 2006, it allowed cable companies to bid for wireless spectrum as the regulatory agency wanted to increase competition in the wireless industry.

FORBES: Washington Says Not So Fast To Verizon Spectrum Grab

In the past, the FCC has allowed Deutsche Telekom to ownU.S.spectrum.

FORBES: Will The U.S.Allow Foreign Ownership Of A Giant Swath Of Our Broadband Spectrum?

The iPhone 5 is the first of Apple's handsets to support 4G, but it has been optimised for just three spectrum bands - the 1800MHz band, which EE has been allowed to use for 4G services, the 850MHz, which doesn't work in the UK, and the 2.1GHz band, which currently only supports 3G services.

BBC: 4G talks ongoing to speed up auction process