With 160 new bids representing $150,948,200, the FCC's advance wireless spectrum (AWS-3) auction topped $40 billion in provisional bids at $40,136,145,400.

That was after 46 rounds with bids on all but 16 of the available 1,614 licenses.

It is by far the biggest-ever auction take—more than double the next-largest auction ($18.96 billion for the 700 MHz auction in 2008), though the total won't be official until the auction closes—no more bids and waivers in a round—and the paperwork filed, money collected and opponents allowed to object.

But the take has far surpassed the reserve price of $10.587 billion and pre-auction estimates.

Read more at B&C here.