posted by Liz
I read a story yesterday about Google lobbying the FCC to institute four conditions as part of an upcoming auction of the 700 MHz spectrum, which is currently licensed by UHF broadcasters. I hadn't heard anything of it previously and didn't understand most of that, so I did quite a bit of research. Let me share.
In the interest of freeing up space for more advanced wireless broadband services and a new public safety communications network, the U.S. House of Representatives is requiring UHF TV broadcasters to leave the 700 MHz airwaves (currently supplying a range of analog TV channels) by Feb. 17, 2009. This shouldn't be a surprise, since the FCC has been pushing UHF broadcasters to switch to digital for at least five years now.
However, this means that Americans who have not yet invested in the wonders of digital cable will lose a number of channels in about a year and a half unless they apply for government coupons toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes, which go on sale in January.
Still, the main focus of this story surrounds not the push to get everyone to go digital, but the fact that this 700 MHz spectrum is going to auction next year and every wireless broadband company in the States is currently rubbing their yellow hands together and crooning, "Eeeexcellent."
This is where Google comes in.
According to its
Public Policy Blog, Google sent a letter to the FCC chairman saying that Google will bid the proposed reserve price (minimum asking price) of $4.6 billion at auction if the FCC accepts all four of their proposed license conditions that will further Google's quest to help make the Internet available to everyone on Earth. (Deep philanthropic sigh...)
Their framework?
Open Applications, open devices, open services and open networks.
This is where everybody stands up and cheers, "Yay, Google! Way to support the little man!"
These criteria would give new companies a chance to buy up the broadband real estate under a better consumer-focused model rather than just handing it over to the established providers (e.g., AT&T, Verizon, et al) and their tyrannical ways.
But be cynical with me for just a moment. Even though Google is trying to open up all kinds of good things, they're also making it easier for themselves to just buy up the lot. There's really nothing to stop them once the incumbents are muzzled. We shouldn't forget that, as with any company, Google's bottom line is the dollar, and though it may help the broadband market as a whole, it shouldn't blind us to the fact that Google is a business, not a charity.
Still, that's not to say that I think the FCC shouldn't accept Google's four propositions. I think, on the contrary, that a wholesale and non-discriminatory market would do wonders. The aforementioned incumbents, among others, are in desperate need of stricter regulations, which I think would allow for tighter competition. So, even though I remain wary of their intentions, part of me wants Google to be successful. Because even if they are a corporate beast, at least they're fighting for better marketplace competition, unlike the existing evil corporations. And you need a beast to fight a beast, right?
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