Who really won the spectrum?
Google didn’t get any of the 700MHz wireless spectrum that the FCC put up for auction, it all went to big phone companies Verizon (and their partner Vodaphone) and AT&T. But that doesn’t mean that Google ‘lost’, after all they pushed for openness, and that’s what has been forced on the big players. “Verizon must allow outside devices such as mobile handsets from other carriers and must allow users to run outside applications on the network. Verizon originally filed a lawsuit against the FCC’s open-access rules, but dropped out while trade group the CTIA continued with the lawsuit.” (infoworld) Meanwhile, nobody won the right to run the D block, a proposed set of frequencies to be set aside to ensure easier communication between the various emergency services across the nation. So who won? Looks like everybody got what they wanted except the public. No new player in telecom, no nationwide emergency system.
Comment posted on 3-23-2008
I have a hard time understanding what all of this actually means. Does this mean that Google isn’t coming out with a gPhone?
Where do the countless billions that are collected in bandwidth auctions go? What is that money supposedly used for?
Comment posted on 3-24-2008
Google is still expected to release Android, their open operating system for the gPhone which they developed in partnership with an alliance of manufacturers. They succeeded in forcing a more open platform on the big telcoms, one that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. There’s a video on Youtube that explains the concept.
The 15 billion in revenues from the sale goes into the Fed coffers. Almost half of what is needed to bail out Bear Stearns!
Comment posted on 3-26-2008
I say the more platforms the better. Make the boats rise with the tide.