Google Looking At Wireless Airwaves
by
Randy Mears
A side effect of the US transition to digital TV is the analog TV switch-off. As a result the wireless broadcast frequencies that had been used by analog television will be re-purposed as the federal government auctions them off to the highest bidders. This transition of the 700MHz bandwidth may herald the beginning of new and open wireless services, devices and applications, if Google has anything to say about it.
Google's wireless vision will give consumers the ability to use the software and handsets of their choice over open and competitive networks. The Internet giant may be willing to bid at least $4.6 billion in the federal government's wireless airwaves auction if the ground rules are to their liking. The catch is that Google will only enter the bidding if the FCC mandates that winning bidders lease some airwaves to other companies for new high-speed Internet services.
Just a couple of weeks ago this article, about Google's indecision on joining the wireless auction, gives us a little more insight into what Google may be thinking. Rumors about Google phones aren't new, when you add Google's interest in the bandwidth auction it really starts to make sense.
