FCC Gives Google Partial Victory for Wireless Auction

Good news for Google. By a vote of 4-1, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreed with Google's request that the upcoming sale of airwaves have open access. This would require winning bidders of the airwaves to operate their wireless networks so it’s open to any mobile device, service or software application.
Google, along with Yahoo, and eBay, lobbied for open access and Google has planned to spend at least $4.6 billion for the wireless spectrum if the FCC met its conditions. However, Google wasn't granted their request of the winning bidder to resell access at wholesale prices.

It's unknown if Google is satisfied with the ruling and will take part in the up coming auction. Google is taking its time to review the FCC ruling before deciding its next move. The airwaves being auctioned are in the 700 megahertz band of radio frequencies. These frequencies were ordered by the government to be given up TV broadcasters as they convert to digital signals. The spectrum will not be available until 2009 and may take an additional two years to be up and running.

Analysts believe that after the dust settles the major telephone companies will end up with the majority of the new frequencies and it will be very difficult for Google to out bid them due to the FCC's bidding rules. They also believe that that Google will most likely back another company to acquire frequencies so it has access.

FCC Gives Google Partial Victory for Wireless Auction

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