Google, Intel, Skype and Yahoo! Seek Rules for Bidding on Broadcast Frequencies

GOOGLE, INTEL, SKYPE AND YAHOO SEEK RULES FOR BIDDING ON BROADCAST FREQUENCIES
[SOURCE: Wired in Washington, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
The country's two satellite television companies have joined forces with four major technology companies and a wireless company to promote the auction of frequencies currently used by television broadcasters. In a March 5 meeting at the Federal Communications Commission with FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, the tech companies ­ Google, Intel, Skype and Yahoo! ­ joined with Access Spectrum to promote their "Coalition for 4G in America." The engagement of Internet giants like Google and Yahoo!, which traditionally have not lobbied the FCC, suggests considerable interest by the technology industry in the upcoming auction, which is set to begin no later than January 28, 2008. In 2006, Congress fixed February 19, 2009, as the end-date for analog television, freeing a wide swath of radio-frequencies for use by new technologies. The frequencies to be made available at auction are in the 700 Megahertz (MHz) range, and are among the most desirable because they easily penetrate buildings and trees. Wireless communications using the WiFi wireless broadband standard currently takes place at 2.4 or 5.8 Gigahertz (GHz), frequencies that are much less desirable. Technology companies like Intel, Microsoft and Motorola played a key role in the lobbying campaign to put a fixed date on the digital television transition. The first priority of the group is to ensure that both the auction date and the digital television switchover date are not altered.
http://www.drewclark.com/2007/03/google-intel-skype-and-yahoo-seek-rules...