What’s next for Sprint and T-Mobile? It’s all about the spectrum auction, baby

[Commentary] Now that Sprint has given up on buying T-Mobile, it looks like we’re going to have four nationwide carriers in the United States, at least until a more pliable administration is office.

Sprint and T-Mobile will plan for their futures as independent carriers, and that means they’re almost certainly looking ahead to the 2015 broadcast spectrum incentive auction.

The incentive auction will mark the Federal Communications Commission’s first major release of new mobile airwaves since the 700 MHz auction in 2008 and the Advanced Wireless Services auction in 2006. T-Mobile and Sprint are particularly interested in this band because of where it’s located on the electromagnetic spectrum: 600 MHz. They’re ideal for building a network with greater coverage.