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FCC expects 700MHz 'D Block' to see auction in 2011
Birds fly, grass grows, and the FCC auctions off wireless spectrum. It's just one of those inevitable facts of life. In 2008, the Commission sure sold plenty of the stuff, with both AT&T and Verizon trading billions of dollars for enough building-penetrating 700MHz bandwidth to start LTE networks (that's 4G, vaquero!) as early as next year. One huge chunk of spectrum didn't sell, however: the infamous Block 'D,' subject to a unique FCC mandate that required it to be shared with first responders and government agencies for public safety. Last we heard, 'D' was in limbo awaiting a new auction, but Reuters reports that said wait may be nearly over. According to Jamie Barnett, the FCC's Chief of Public Safety, the entity could test the waters as early as this summer, and start Auction 76 in earnest by Q1 or Q2 of 2011. Who might bid at that late date is still uncertain -- would-be 4G competitors will be way behind Verizon and AT&T by that time -- but it seems a mighty fine idea for paramedic phones to work while buried under rubble, regardless.
Google calls for FCC to force open access rules or block Verizon's 700MHz bid
It looks like Verizon isn't taking those 700MHz spectrum open access rules very seriously, and a certain competing bidder isn't real happy. In a petition filed with the FCC by Google, the company alleges that Verizon is willfully ignoring the "plain meaning of the [open access] rule" by suggesting it will allow one type of access for users who use Verizon-approved devices, and another for those using third-party units. According to the document, "Verizon's position would completely reverse the meaning of the rule such that the open access condition would apply to none of Verizon's customers, and thereby render the condition a nullity." The search giant is calling for the FCC to block Verizon's $4.7 billion bid on the spectrum unless the company agrees to comply with the previously-decided open access rules. Since this isn't the first inkling we've had that Verizon wasn't down with open access, we're not surprised, but it looks like Google has a little more fight left in them -- and that could make all the difference. [Warning: PDF read link][Via IP Democracy; Thanks, Bram]
Republican lawmakers say Google "gamed" 700Mhz auction
Google's plan in the 700MHz auction drama was never much of a secret: it was always assumed that the search giant would bid enough to trigger the open-access provisions, but wasn't really interested in winning, and sure enough, the company confirmed that strategy when the bidding wrapped up. Of course, news travels slow in our nation's capital, and word of Google's dastardly plan to make sure the FCC's open-access rules were triggered is apparently shocking news to a handful of Republicans, who characterized it as "gaming the system," and asked FCC chairman Kevin Martin if the agency had been "duped." Newsflash to Reps. Fred Upton (R-Mich), Cliff Stearns (R-Fla) and John Shimkus (R-Ill): the FCC, Google, and Verizon argued about this for months and analysts had a field day, remember? And then Verizon gave up the lawsuits, went crazy on the open tip, and won the auction anyway. Of course, if Verizon hadn't won, Google would have had to make good on that $4.6B bid, which isn't exactly chump change. So, who gamed what? If anything, the FCC's coffers got a little fatter than they would have otherwise, and we're pretty certain consumers will benefit from open-access, so, uh, you guys want to stop wrecking the party now? Cool.[Thanks, Scott]
Comcast, Time Warner, Sprint, and Clearwire could join forces on WiMAX, help from Google and Intel possible
As unlikely as this sounds, rivals Time Warner Cable and Comcast are apparently in talks with Sprint and Clearwire over establishing a nationwide WiMAX network. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, the companies are scrambling to get a deal wrapped up by CTIA -- which takes place at the beginning of April -- and could see an influx of cash from both Google and Intel in excess of $1 billion. It seems the odd-couple partners are keen to cut into heavyweights Verizon and AT&T's ever-expanding range of at-home and mobile services by offering their own take on a high-speed data and voice system to consumers. Clearly this combination would deflate AT&T and Verizon's big FCC bandwidth-nabs a little (and it explains why the cable players weren't interested in the 700MHz auction), but it's questionable whether this rag-tag team of wild card players would seriously court the public's eye. They say America loves an underdog -- even if it's a gigantic, super-rich, corporate underdog.[Via mocoNews]
700MHz auction comes to a $19.6B finish, winners still not revealed
Hear that? Yeah, that's the fat lady -- the 700MHz auction is over today, and the FCC netted $19.6B for the 1,099 licenses it put on the block. It's still not known who placed the winning $4.75B bid for the lucrative open-access 50-state C-block (probably Verizon) but hopefully we'll find out soon. There was a ton of regional action as well: a package of licenses for spectrum in Chicago went for $892.4M, another set for Newark and NYC went for $884.7M, and LA's two sets of 700MHz airwaves cost some lucky punter giant corporation $580.3M and $484M -- and if you'd scraped together $17K, you would be the king of the airwaves in American Samoa. Sadly, no one met the reserve for the public-safety D-block, so it looks like Uncle Sam's going to have to toss it in the back of the van and schlep it the old fashioned way. We doubt we'll know for sure who's got what until the gray suits manage to verify everything and make sure all the rules were followed, but it's still an historic day -- and remember, we've got all the info on what this could mean in the future right here.Update: The FCC says we'll know who won what within 10 days -- it's just like waiting for Santa, only instead of a fat man giving you presents, it's a vast government bureaucracy giving major corporations thin air![Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Open access: everything you always wanted to know, over at Engadget
Feeling frightened, confused, or tingly due to all this 700MHz auction talk and its "open access" rules? Truck on over to Engadget classic and get the full rundown on what you need to know.
Open access: everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask
Since the first rumblings of the 700MHz auction began, there's been a fair amount of confusion, doubt, and distress over just what exactly this whole thing means. With the champagne-chugging news that bids have reached the $4.6 billion reserve for the "C" block and enabled the "open access" rules in that sector of the bands -- it seems prudent to explain just exactly what we're getting into with this new chapter in the FCC-regulated airwaves saga, and what open access really means to you.
