Clearwire Said to Seek Up to $5 Billion for Spectrum

Clearwire Corp., the high-speed wireless carrier, is seeking to raise $2.5 billion to $5 billion in a wireless-spectrum auction that has attracted telephone and cable companies, said people with direct knowledge of the sale.

AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless, Deutsche Telekom AG, Time Warner Cable Inc. and Clearwire’s majority owner, Sprint Nextel Corp., are among potential buyers of the spectrum, said the people, who declined to be identified because the process isn’t public. The bidding is in its second round and being managed by Deutsche Bank AG, they said. Clearwire shares surged as much as 11 percent.