Google, along with a set of other companies, was cleared by federal regulators to bid for a highly desired chunk of wireless spectrum on January 24.

The auction for a 700 Megahertz piece of spectrum will raise at least $10 billion for the U.S. government after television gave up the airwaves as it goes digital in 2009.

Other companies in the auction include AT&T, Inc, Verizon Wireless, ventures involving EchoStar Communications Corp., Cablevision Systems Corp., Qualcomm, Inc., and Microsoft Corp. Co-founder Paul Allen.

Rejected bidders included Frontline Wireless, which had sought to build a nationwide network to be shared with public safety service agencies.

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