The FCC today released its final list of 214 qualified bidders for the upcoming 700 MHz auction, down from a list of 266 applicants announced last month.

According to Reuters' Peter Kaplan, the auction aims to raise "at least $10 billion for the U.S. government from airwaves being returned by television broadcasters as they move to digital from analog signals in early 2009."

"Up for grabs are five blocks of beachfront spectrum for advanced wireless uses, including licenses in one block (the D block) currently aggregated for a national network that must be given over to first responders in time of emergency," explains Broadcasting & Cable's John Eggerton.

Bidding starts on January 24. "There will be two bidding rounds on the first day of the auction, and three rounds the second day," notes Bloomberg's Molly Peterson. "FCC auctions of this size typically last weeks, with the number of daily bidding rounds increasing as low bidders drop out and the pool of auction participants shrinks."

More here from the Associated Press ... more here from Telecosm ... and more here from PC Magazine.