The government spectrum auction is slowing to a trickle and nearing to a close. In 16 days, and 71 completed rounds, a group of anonymous companies have pledged almost $20 billion for the right to roll out high-speed broadband wireless services.

In total, bidding has reached $19.4 billion, or almost double what the government had anticipated. The most active bidding was on the C Block, which will require the owner to build an open-access network that will allow consumers to use any application or any compatible device. Google (NSDQ: GOOG) lobbied hard for those rules, but analysts are guessing that it will be either AT&T (NYSE: T) or Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) that will be the final winners. The controversial D Block, which would have required the owner to build-out a portion of the spectrum for public safety networks, was unsuccessful, never receiving a bid that surpassed the minimum level.

It will be interesting to see who the the winning bidders are, and whether they’ll change the industry, like Google wanted. A BusinessWeek story today said it is unlikely to have a very big impact on the industry because it won’t produce a new national wireless provider. 

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• Spectrum Auction Reaches Record-Breaking $18.6 Billion In Bids