It's on: FCC sets 700MHz spectrum auction for January 16, 2008

It's still not entirely clear how it'll be used, but there's one thing about the FCC's upcoming 700MHz auction that we now know for sure: it'll go down on January 16 of next year. The feds look to sell off a grand total of 1,099 licenses freed by the approaching end of analog television broadcasting divided into five distinct blocks. So-called Blocks A and E cover the FCC's Economic Areas, 176 distinct subdivisions of the US and its territories. Block B is divided into the smaller Cellular Market Areas category, 734 in total. Block D -- intended for use by public safety workers -- is nationwide, meaning just one license will be offered spanning the nation. Finally, the controversial Block C -- the public access spectrum everyone's been in a tizzy over -- is being offered as 12 regional covering the entire country. As with any huge FCC spectrum offage, this sale promises to generate some corporate fireworks, public discussion, and mudslinging, so we're marking our calendars and crossing our fingers that CSPAN will cover all the wild action live. [Warning: PDF link]

[Via Phone Scoop]

Update: It turns out that the 12-region Block C is destined for open access, not the single-license Block D. Block D is intended for public safety use. We've corrected the text of the post above. Our apologies!

[Joe @ Aug 20th 2007 4:49PM]

The day after my birthday :D

[Anthony @ Aug 20th 2007 4:56PM]

Maybe you'll get enough birthday money to win!

[bondsbw @ Aug 20th 2007 4:50PM]

I want it.

[wung @ Aug 20th 2007 4:55PM]

haha, CSPAN ... hilarious!

[Todd @ Aug 20th 2007 4:55PM]

Soon after Google wins the "Block D" I will expect a cool little, bright yellow piece of hardware to follow that let's me make free unlimited calls, watch tv and listen to my DRM-free MP3s.

[Mark @ Aug 20th 2007 5:43PM]

While it monitors what programs you watch, what mp3's you listen to, what your conversations are about and gives you subliminal messages in your sleep. Okay... may be I'm exaggerating, but I'm just saying, google's just as evil as the next corporation.

[Jeffrey A. Katz @ Aug 20th 2007 5:08PM]

I second Todd's motion. I want it ALL from Google. Let Google do what Google does best -- be innovative and apparently somewhat irreverant (while NOT doing evil!)

[Bogdan @ Aug 20th 2007 5:30PM]

Go, Google!
Hopefully you'll be my next non-evil cell phone carrier.

[Aaron S @ Aug 20th 2007 6:04PM]

Type "google watch" into your search engine.

[John Doe @ Aug 20th 2007 7:17PM]

Whatever. everyone who is screaming about Google's privacy policies don't get it. You need to collect info to customize. And the more data you have the more specific you can get it.

[Cassidy @ Aug 20th 2007 8:13PM]

I know this is going to sound stupid, but what does this mean for us?

[syntheticmind @ Aug 20th 2007 10:51PM]

On my birthday!!! That would be the best present ever: "Google wins the auction for the 700MHz Spectrum". cant wait to see how that pans out.

[John @ Aug 21st 2007 2:11AM]

Are there odds on Apple snipering Block C from Google at the last minute? Or at least teaming with Google on Blocks A-Z?

[Vekter @ Aug 21st 2007 3:15PM]

The only people I want to see win that auction are the Free Wifi people. (I forgot their name. >.< ) I believe that the FCC should just shut up and give it to them, instead of letting the damn corporations buy it up so that their competition can't use it.

CEO: There, we won the auction for the 700mHZ range!
Board: W00t
CEO: ...... Uhh, now what do we do with this 700mHZ we spent 1 million on?
Board: No clue.
CEO: ... >.>

[engadget @ Sep 11th 2007 11:39AM]

lol 1million? it'll probobly go for ALOT more than just a million.

[Nate @ Oct 5th 2007 1:20PM]

...billions