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Google Pledges $4.6 Billion For Broadband
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As a follow up to our last report, Google today has posted a statement to their blog saying they're ready to dole out $4.6 billion at the upcoming 700Mhz spectrum auction if Kevin Martin's unreleased "open access" plan adheres to four principles:

quote:
Open applications: consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content or services they desire;•Open devices: consumers should be able to utilize their handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer;•Open services: third parties (resellers) should be able to acquire wireless services from a 700 MHz licensee on a wholesale basis, based on reasonably nondiscriminatory commercial terms;•Open networks: third parties (like Internet service providers) should be able to interconnect at any technically feasible point in a 700 MHz licensee's wireless network.
Martin seems ready to sign off on the first two. That third condition just isn't happening on telco-loyal Kevin Martin's watch, no matter how this declaration is dissected by the digerati over the next few days. Google knowing this makes the promise of investment fundamentally empty, though perhaps they'll be willing to step up anyway (even if by proxy).

You are talking about a several billion dollar commitment followed by probably between $10-$15 billion more to build the actual network -- if someone was preparing that sort of business plan, you would think there'd be some sort of evidence of it.
-FCC Commissioner Adelstein

Democratic FCC Commissioners have doubted that Microsoft and Google will be willing to put their money where their mouth is once the auction arrives. Both companies are part of an alliance with consumer advocates and hardware vendors that has submitted 700Mhz broadband devices to the FCC for testing (more info on that here).

You can read their CEO's letter to Kevin Martin here.
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Jonbo298
join:2004-01-12
Council Bluffs, IA

Jonbo298

Member

Google should have it

Open access for all. Its what the FCC wants, its what Google is offering, for a sizeable amount of money. I don't want a company like Verizon or at&t buying it, then restricting it to just their stuff. We've seen how *great* it is
Jonbo298

Jonbo298

Member

Re: Google should have it

oh and I'm a democrat. I don't see the problem in letting Google have it. Put stipulation that if they don't follow on their promise, fine them heavily, much more then at&t has been allowed to get away with after the merger

Robert
Premium Member
join:2001-08-25
Miami, FL

Robert to Jonbo298

Premium Member

to Jonbo298
said by Jonbo298:

Open access for all. Its what the FCC wants, its what Google is offering, for a sizeable amount of money. I don't want a company like Verizon or at&t buying it, then restricting it to just their stuff. We've seen how *great* it is
The problem is Google is going at this all the wrong way. The proper and correct way is to hire tons of lobbyists who will line the pockets of the FCC's commissioners and in turn give Google what they want.

Cabal
Premium Member
join:2007-01-21

Cabal

Premium Member

Re: Google should have it

Is 12 enough for you?

»www.washingtonpost.com/w ··· 058.html

They've been at it since October 2005, actually.

Robert
Premium Member
join:2001-08-25
Miami, FL

Robert

Premium Member

Re: Google should have it

said by Cabal:

Is 12 enough for you?

»www.washingtonpost.com/w ··· 058.html

They've been at it since October 2005, actually.
Only 12? hehe.

Scatcatpdx
Fur It Up
join:2007-06-22
Portland, OR

Scatcatpdx to Robert

Member

to Robert
said by Robert:

said by Jonbo298:

Open access for all. Its what the FCC wants, its what Google is offering, for a sizeable amount of money. I don't want a company like Verizon or at&t buying it, then restricting it to just their stuff. We've seen how *great* it is
The problem is Google is going at this all the wrong way. The proper and correct way is to hire tons of lobbyists who will line the pockets of the FCC's commissioners and in turn give Google what they want.
What you think Google has been doing. The got the ear of a form Clinton appointee in the FCC to rig the 700Mhz auction with ope access restrictions. This in turn would drive away the big boys and drives down the bid for Google.

FiL25
Premium Member
join:2005-08-16
Silver Spring, MD

FiL25

Premium Member

oh lordy...

Waitin' for this good deed and "consumers, we gotcha back" move by the Goog to get SMASHED by the resident pessimists!

...and were off to the races.

jose3030
Premium Member
join:1999-08-17
Manassas, VA

jose3030

Premium Member

Ah

This helps me understand why Google was buying so much dark-fiber a few yrs back
BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Wakefield, MA

1 recommendation

BosstonesOwn

Member

Re: Ah

Actually that was used to link their data centers and give them cheaper pops to dump their data.

FiL25
Premium Member
join:2005-08-16
Silver Spring, MD

1 recommendation

FiL25

Premium Member

Re: Ah

"You are talking about a several billion dollar commitment followed by probably between $10-$15 billion more to build the actual network - if someone was preparing that sort of business plan, you would think there'd be some sort of evidence of it."
-FCC Commissioner Adelstein

Oh, NOW these fck-boys want evidence? Since when did our public officials begin holding others accountable for ANYTHING? Gotdamn hypocrites; as if these billions in dollars pledged aren't gonna reach their target. Goog's been doing this a looong time, offering 'murrika free maps, gps, web searches, wifi in some spots, all the while keeping the gotdamn country on a even keel broadband wise... Muscling lazy ass ISP's with threats like "don;'t want, I'll TAKE it." We need more of that, uhhhhh, COMPETITION.

I swear its like the bloods and the crips with these politico's...

Gotdamn Democrats and Republican's want to keep us a lazy, undeserving under-class. Eff that, thats why a friggin' start-up took over the internet.

Keep on trucking Goog, and keep these goons in the dark, don't give em a chance to shit all over a good thing.
BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Wakefield, MA

2 recommendations

BosstonesOwn

Member

Re: Ah

Ironically the gang references make perfect sense.

It seems politicos now want to keep people down so you don't disturb thier pay checks.

Government has more interest in keeping the population from thinking for themselves and just listening to whats best for you.

In the words of the Late Great John Lennon -

As soon as your born they make you feel small,
By giving you no time instead of it all,
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all,
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be.
They hurt you at home and they hit you at school,
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool,
Till you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules,
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be.
When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years,
Then they expect you to pick a career,
When you can't really function you're so full of fear,
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be.
Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV,
And you think you're so clever and classless and free,
But you're still fucking peasents as far as I can see,
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be.
There's room at the top they are telling you still,
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,
If you want to be like the folks on the hill,
A working class hero is something to be.
A working class hero is something to be.
If you want to be a hero well just follow me,
If you want to be a hero well just follow me.

This won't work out for google. The FCC is pro telco. This is just icing on the cake watch. The telcos will get this for a more profitable service spectrum.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Odd

Why does this sound like grandstanding on the part of Google? Nothing is stopping them now from investing that money into expanding wired broadband solutions for places which don't have access now.
bmn
? ? ?

join:2001-03-15
hiatus

bmn

Re: Odd

I can see the flyer now..

"Google Fiber to the Home... Coming to a town near you. Tell your local telephone and cable companies to piss off and sign up with a company that offers 21st century connectivity with 21st century speeds..."

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: Odd

said by bmn:

Tell your local telephone and cable companies to piss off and sign up with a company that offers 21st century connectivity with 21st century speeds..."
That's really the only drawback if Google were to get into this racket. They would probably hit the places already served by multiple broadband ISPs first.

SRFireside
join:2001-01-19
Houston, TX

SRFireside to pnh102

Member

to pnh102
Doesn't it sound smarter to invest in that 700Mhz market? I'm guessing the infrastructure on that would cost less than laying down fiber all over the country. Which is exactly the reason why all the other incumbent telco and cablecos want a bit of that.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: Odd

said by SRFireside:

Doesn't it sound smarter to invest in that 700Mhz market?
I am not really sure. We all can agree that a wired broadband connection of any sort most always provides superior service than a wireless service. $4.6 billion can buy a lot of fiber optic cable.

SRFireside
join:2001-01-19
Houston, TX

SRFireside

Member

Re: Odd

But it probably buys a lot more wireless infrastructure. Google isn't an ISP so it's probably better for them to avoid the issues that seasoned providers are more adept at like rights of way COs and whatnot.

FFH5
Premium Member
join:2002-03-03
Tavistock NJ

FFH5 to pnh102

Premium Member

to pnh102
It will never happen if Google demands that all 4 conditions must be in the auction rules in order to bid. It sounds more like they are grandstanding trying to make a point about Net Neutrality than in actually planning to bid.

SRFireside
join:2001-01-19
Houston, TX

SRFireside

Member

Re: Odd

Or taking the first steps in the process. When you haggle you always demand more than you want. That way when the negotiations start you end up settling for a deal that is much closer to what you actually expected.

Titus
Mr Gradenko
join:2004-06-26

Titus

Member

Open Services

Is defined as whenever Jobby-Job's iEgo decides to cough up his stock and he goes for the iOwnEveryMuthaFuckingThingIn700™ handheld device of the century ...

comes with a peel and stick Apple sticker, of course
.
bmn
? ? ?

join:2001-03-15
hiatus

bmn

Re: Open Services

To quote a famous caveman...

"Uhhhh... What ?!"

Titus
Mr Gradenko
join:2004-06-26

Titus

Member

Re: Open Services

I dunno ... think I had a brain fart

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

HAHAHAHAHA--HAHAHA!

Big business will NEVER ALLOW
1. open applications
2. open devices
3. open services
4. open networks
you cant rape and gouge if you let the above happen.

yock
TFTC
Premium Member
join:2000-11-21
Miamisburg, OH

yock

Premium Member

Re: HAHAHAHAHA--HAHAHA!

Well, it's Google and Microsoft lobbying for it...so...isn't that big business?

The FCC is the entity balking at the idea of open services.