700MHz C-block hits reserve price -- open access is here

There was a brief, tense pause in the bidding this morning, but some anonymous giant telecom company (Google, perhaps?) has just pushed the price of the 700MHz C-block over the FCC's reserve price of $4.6B -- and the rest of us straight into the promised land of open access. Yep, January 31, 2008, Round 17 will be the day to remember -- to think it was all a dream, we used to read Free Spectrum magazine.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Todd @ Jan 31st 2008 12:30PM]

HISTORIC!!!1! I am filled with hope for a new era in communications ( and gadgets ).

[thenns @ Jan 31st 2008 12:31PM]

finally, thank you. i hope it was google that bid.

[Alex @ Jan 31st 2008 12:32PM]

Can someone please explain in terms a simpleton like me can understand what this "open access" entails? Like, I understand what the words imply, but what's the difference between the "open access" and the usage of the network that the winner of the auction gets?

[EskimoPie @ Jan 31st 2008 12:35PM]

Exactly... what sort of fancy new gadgets will this 700MHz spectrum make possible?

[Gian @ Jan 31st 2008 1:17PM]

The open access rule tied to the 700MHz spectrum requires a third of the spectrum to be allocated to a new network, built by the winning bidder, free of technological exclusivity. Today, wireless carriers use licensed technologies for communication on their network, and each of them ride a different horse. This new network would support an open, potentially license-free, standard for wireless communications within the allocated spectrum. The new network would also result in a service architecture somewhere between an MVNO and a CLEC: one physical consumer-facing network, many different providers, and a slew of over-the-counter devices all working together under a new universal communications protocol.

Of course, this could all just fall apart and amount to nothing, but who knows?

Gian

[Alexander @ Jan 31st 2008 1:50PM]

Your broadcast TV is a one-way device. Meaning, it comes into your home and displays 'data'.

Now, with the open access rule in full effect, all devices that are made by this company--or any company that wants to use this spectrum--has to document, publish, and keep standards of all protocols used.

[Adrian Williams @ Jan 31st 2008 3:09PM]

@gian so the Mega wireless carriers will buy them all up or crush them like their parents did when they did this to POTS

[Mike @ Jan 31st 2008 12:33PM]

Love the Biggie reference!

[DJCarbon43 @ Jan 31st 2008 2:39PM]

"It was all a dream I used to read word up magazine..."

God, man he was rare.

R.I.P. King to us all, B.I.G.

[Alex Haas @ Jan 31st 2008 12:39PM]

Digg this!!

http://digg.com/tech_news/700MHz_C_block_hits_reserve_price_open_access_is_here_2

[DvS @ Jan 31st 2008 12:41PM]

I wanted to bid, but I can't find the ebay auction anywhere!

/sarcasm

[Silverfrog @ Jan 31st 2008 2:14PM]

Can you imagine the commission Ebay would make on that transaction? It alone would be more than I probably make in a lifetime.

[Chris @ Jan 31st 2008 12:45PM]

For some more in depth background on the auction:

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070731-fcc-sets-700mhz-auction-rules-limited-open-access-no-wholesale-requirement.html

[Patrick @ Jan 31st 2008 12:46PM]

I'm pleasantly surprised someone picked up on that Biggie reference.

[Daniel @ Jan 31st 2008 12:49PM]

Great news, glad to see this happen!

[Podaman @ Jan 31st 2008 1:14PM]

what kind of bandwidth/download speeds would one expect to see on his or her new 700MHz spectrum hand-held device? (assuming ideal conditions)

[pushplay @ Jan 31st 2008 1:16PM]

I thought it was interesting you said "some anonymous bidder". All bidding is anonymous in the auction, so there's no saying wether it was actually google or not. It could be anybody.

[Allen @ Jan 31st 2008 1:17PM]

The Biggie reference was "to think it was a dream, we used to read free spectrum magazine" right? Where are those old cds in my harddrive..... @$@%*# last ten years of rap covering it up...

[leegoldstein @ Jan 31st 2008 1:45PM]

Yup...
It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up magazine

[MJZimmer88 @ Jan 31st 2008 1:25PM]

Are we assuming now that the reserve price has been reached, that Google will now fall out of the bidding, as they can use their $$ to create devices to work on the open-access network?

And everyone is saying that the 700MHz spectrum isn't quite enough for a solid internet connection, especially in urban areas, but wouldn't it still presumably provide a faster connection than the Edge which my iPhone is painfully forced on for now?

(And on that note, really, Edge isn't THAT bad... it's still twice as fast as dial-up... ah, remember the good old days of waiting for you computer to dail AOL, not connect, and switch to a different telelphone number to try?)

[bobby o @ Jan 31st 2008 1:34PM]

...Bill Gates and Steve Jobs up in the limousine

[JaeDot @ Jan 31st 2008 1:37PM]

it was all a dream, we used to read Free Spectrum magazine
Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Eric Schmidt drove sedans and not limousines
Hanging SQL schematics on my wall
Every Saturday Doom contest on the intranet in the hall...
Sorry. That last line just inspired me to partially parody Biggie..

[Andrew Cooper @ Jan 31st 2008 1:58PM]

For those of you wondering about the connectivity or speed of this portion of the EM spectrum, that is irrelevant at this point. These frequencies have good penetration based on their frequency. This spectrum is the same as is used currently for analogue TV broadcast, so it penetrates buildings and structures very well. How much data is transmitted and how fast is related to the technology at either end though, not the frequency of the radio waves.

[Podaman @ Jan 31st 2008 4:51PM]

higher frequencies have the ability to transmit data faster though...

[dudeInAmerica @ Jan 31st 2008 1:59PM]

...Super Nintendo , Open Wireless, when I was broke I couldn't picture this.

[Aaron @ Jan 31st 2008 2:08PM]

For those of you interested in watching the bidding it can be found here. https://auctionbidding.fcc.gov/

It is auction 73. Click the results tab to get current info on each section.

[Zach @ Jan 31st 2008 2:16PM]

***** ATTENTION ENGADGET EDITORS *****

Please make an article detailing everying we would need to know about this whole 700MHz auction. Let us know why this is significant. What's the history of the spectrum and the auction, who are the major players, and (most important) what can we as the consumer expect to happen? How will this change communication? How will this affect the cell phone companies? When can we expect what changes?

Thanks, I know I'm not the only one who'd like to see it. Maybe I should just wiki it though :)

[JaeDot @ Jan 31st 2008 2:24PM]

How many rounds will there be? If Google does win, will they use WIMAX technology being that their bid is to encompass all 50 states? When would it be open for public consumption?

[Jake @ Feb 4th 2008 7:23PM]

The rounds continue until there are no more bidders in any of the auctions. Only then do we find out who they were.

[Max @ Jan 31st 2008 2:29PM]

it was all a dream, we used to read Free Spectrum magazine.

lmao biggie

[Zach @ Jan 31st 2008 2:34PM]

Also, just to let everyone know. Verizon sued to try to stop the open access that we will now enjoy. Also, it was google who made it possible by suggesting it in the first place. Please factor that into deciding who to use for phone service :)

[StalkerZERO @ Jan 31st 2008 2:43PM]

Internet EVERYWHERE we go!! The future is here!!!! :D ..........ok I've calmed down now. =/

[StalkerZERO @ Jan 31st 2008 2:46PM]

And when I say everywhere I mean faster than 3G and at a very low cost!!! :D I want my futuristic videophone now please! And even if google doesn't win this auction the "c" block section is open now. But, google "white spaces" and google. Google's plan B might even be more significant. :)

[C @ Jan 31st 2008 4:06PM]

alright... let me see if I finally got this correct...

Open Access mean that whatever service is offered on that one-third of the spectrum must be available to whatever device is made to be compatible...

ie. If it's used as wifi then any manufacturer can sell devices that may use that spectrum ... is that it ?

and i'm guessing we would still have to subscribe to that service ... is that correct? or Open also means Free?

thanks!

C

[Derek @ Jan 31st 2008 5:19PM]

ok the comments system really needs to be fixed. it is literately unusable

[skulldriveshaft @ Jan 31st 2008 8:36PM]

Look at all the newbies up in here...

Open Access should be followed up with massive purchases by all of us - handset manufacturer's will no longer be tied into exclusivity deals - they can retail their hardware directly to consumers who can ride the network.

If you don't buy the hardware, no matter how great Open Access is, it will die without $$$.

[Joey @ Feb 1st 2008 2:53AM]

this IS truly remarkable for tech. IT's like, the kindle, only better. [wait before you flame, lol]

Imagine, the next gen Nintendo portable with built in "700mhz-ness" online gaming everywhere.

It's gonna take communication to the next level.


Wi-Fi hotspots will become the dial-up of online connectivity outside the home. Cell phone data plans will become more useless.

this is GREAT

[CB17 @ Feb 1st 2008 5:31AM]

Well this just goes to show the kind of readers Engadget attracts. Not one person above actually gets it. Open access just means that whoever wins is gonna have to let whatever device they want on the network (like GSM).
It DOESN'T mean that everyone is just gonna get free internet everywhere they go. That would be like one of the major carriers just giving away HSPA/EVDO data plans. The ONLY way it would be free is if someone like Google wins and provides it free of charge based on ad revenue or something like that. Seriously Engadget, you need to educate your readers.

[justin @ Feb 1st 2008 1:19PM]

WHOA.

I was listening to "Juicy" when I read this entry. DAMN.

[John @ Feb 3rd 2008 11:52PM]

At least shipping would be free