Morgan Stanley has won the contract to market the prime broadcast spectrum that will become available for sale once all television stations switch from analogue to digital signals in 2012.
The auction, which could raise up to £5 billion (E6.3bn) for the Treasury, will make available up to eight packages of wavelength in a "sweet spot" on the spectrum. About 128Mhz of spectrum in the sweet spot around 700Mhz will be available. Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, is expected to begin the process at the end of next year or in early 2010.
Morgan Stanley beat several other banks and two marketing companies to the contract, the value of which was not disclosed. Analysts expect existing telecom's companies to take up most of the spectrum, although Ofcom believes that it can spark wider interest from around the world.