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 customers 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=slogin
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