FCC Hands Google a Partial Victory
FCC HANDS GOOGLE A PARTIAL VICTORY
[SOURCE: New York Times 8/1, AUTHOR: John Markoff and Matt Richtel]
The Federal Communications Commission moved cautiously toward creating a more open national wireless broadband network, handing a partial victory to Google, which was pushing for more competition in cellphone services. The agency approved rules for an auction of broadcast spectrum that its chairman, Kevin J. Martin, said would promote new consumer services. The rules will let customers use any phone and software they want on networks using about one-third of the spectrum to be auctioned. The FCC did not approve a provision that would have required the winner of the auction to sell access to its network on a wholesale basis to other companies. Google favored the rule as a way to hasten competition and innovation in the cellphone industry, a market it is considering. While the language of the ruling has not been made public, it appears that any company that buys the new spectrum will have to leave it open to devices it does not approve or control. If, for instance, Verizon were to buy spectrum, consumers would have to pay Verizon for access to its network but they could use devices of their own choosing on it. At present, the carriers decide what devices are used on their networks and therefore control many of the services and software available to consumers. The carriers contend this lets them control the quality of the customer’s experience. The ruling does not affect the existing spectrum, controlled by major companies like Verizon Wireless. But it appears to signal a shift in how policy makers and, in turn, companies, will approach access to and control of future wireless networks. The ruling did not go far enough for some consumer activist groups, but even those groups applauded parts of it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/technology/01spectrum.html?_r=1&oref=s...
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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118590936354383530.html?mod=dist_smartbrief
* FCC Meets Google Only Halfway
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2164828,00.asp
* Compromises Lead To New Wireless Rules
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/2007/08/compromises_lead_fcc_to_new_wi.html
* FCC Chief May Fall Short of Wireless Market Shakeup
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aZpYKqJdYxkk&refer=news
* Braving the telecom lobbyist backlash
http://news.com.com/Braving+the+telecom+lobbyist+backlash/2010-1047_3-61...
* Spectrum Auction Won't Bring Needed Broadband Competition
http://www.freepress.net/press/release.php?id=261
* A Half-Win for Cellphone Users
[Commentary] The closed nature of America’s wireless networks is the main reason that its cellphone technology is so primitive compared with Europe’s and Japan’s. The F.C.C.’s new rules go part of the way to solve this, but unfortunately, American consumers have once again been denied a truly open and competitive cellular market.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/opinion/06mon3.html