Verizon Wireless has won the auction for a nationwide spectrum footprint (that excludes Alaska) in the FCC-termed C-Block group of licenses, plus 102 licenses for individual markets around the country.

In all, the company is going to pay $9.36 billion for licenses, which is equal to $1.03 per MHz Pop, compared to the auction average of $1.20.

The FCC announced the end of the auction on March 20, but the company was limited in commenting until the Commission’s anti-collusion quiet period rules ended late in the day on April 3.

The new spectrum, which will not be completely cleared for use until mid-February 2009, will increase the company’s average spectrum depth per market to 82 MHz, from 52 MHz today.

Verizon Wireless plans to launch its LTE network in the 700 MHz spectrum in the 2010 timeframe.