Google to bid for US spectrum
Over in the States, the 700MHz frequency is heading towards auction in January. Formerly used for UHF TV signals, the spectrum - about 36MHz worth - is the last bit of significant wireless real estate to become available in the US.
Enter Google, which is concerned that the spectrum will be snapped up by one of the existing wireless giants and placed under their usual restrictions. Kindly Google, of course, is willing to step in to save the consumer from the evil corporations, and has just announced that it will be magnanimously bidding for the spectrum itself. It's putting up $4.6bn towards this venture, and it wants the FCC to adopt these four principles for the auction (cut'n'paste time, folks):
- Open applications: consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire; - Open devices: consumers should be able to utilize their handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer; - Open services: third parties (resellers) should be able to acquire wireless services from a 700 MHz licensee on a wholesale basis, based on reasonably nondiscriminatory commercial terms; and - Open networks: third parties (like Internet service providers) should be able to interconnect at any technically feasible point in a 700 MHz licensee's wireless network.
That's a whole lot of openness going on there. What it all comes down to is the preservation (or introduction?) of net neutrality, one of Google's favourite issues, and hey, if Google makes a bit of money along the way, so be it.
As the company puts it in its blog: "For now, and for all of us, the issue is simple: this is one of the best opportunities we will have to bring the Internet to all Americans. Let's seize that opportunity." Sniff.
By happy coincidence, that very same spectrum happens to be coming up for auction right here in the UK, too. And is Google preparing to take a punt on the UK wireless broadband market using, say, WiMax or some such technology? Knowing you'd want to know that (hey, we're here for you) I put a call in to Google's UK press office, but no-one would discuss the issue at all.
Watch this space....