spectrum auction

SPOTLIGHT: 700Mhz auction reaches finale

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 07:59:52 -0400

It's been a long and winding road but the FCC's 700Mhz spectrum auction has finally reached its thrilling conclusion. As expected, Verizon Wireless is the big winner, taking home that highly-coveted chunk of C Block spectrum, open access provisions and all. AT&T and Echostar also won big, with each taking home a number of smaller spectrum slices. And Google? Well, Google might be the biggest winner of them all: the company managed to push its open agenda forward with some success and didn't have to spend a dime. Article

Could the 700Mhz auction be a bust?

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 06:59:56 -0500

The 700Mhz auction hasn't gotten off to an auspicious start: Presumed public-safety bidder Frontline closed up shot before things got off the ground, unable to put together the table stakes for an opening bid. The question on many minds is whether Frontline's collapse is a harbinger of things to come in the newest spectrum allocation battle, or the simple failure of a single company. It's possible that no company will come up with the $4.2 billion minimum bid in the open-access part of the bidding process, in which case the FCC will re-auction to the highest bidder. If the bids stay low, though, it means that the $20 billion windfall for the government coffers could be reduced by a considerable amount.

For more on the possibility of a quiet auction:
- Read the pre-auction analysis at WirelessWeek

A year-end look at the future of wireless

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:56 -0500

We've reached the end of 2007, and now it's time to look ahead to what we'll see in the wireless marketplace for the coming year. According to a panel of experts, some of the factors controlling news in 2008 will be:

Google will continue to push into many aspects of wireless communications.
The 700 MHz spectrum auction will open more than just another radio band--it could open an entirely new wireless business model.
The WiMAX build-out will either accelerate or come to a halt. Many experts think that WiMAX faces a narrowing window of opportunity before 4G cellular data arrives--in 2008, we'll know whether the believers are ready to put up towers.
Wireless devices will get faster and more capable as we move into the Wireless 2.0 universe of technology and expectations.

There's much more--you can use the information to plan you year, or to set up an office pool on which technologies will really win in the coming year.

For more on a wireless 2008:
- Read the prognostications at WirelessWeek

What the auction holds for Google

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 06:59:56 -0500

Google is ready to make its 700 Mhz bid, but what will winning the auction (if a Google win actually happens) do for the search-engine giant? It certainly buys the company an opportunity to develop new platforms and applications, but many analysts say that the win is a slow-motion victory, with years required between auction win and the first usable services and products. Can a company that's made itself in the model of the hyper-fast Internet really win when patience is the key element required? The possibilities of ubiquitous Google availability may provide all the impetus toward patience the company requires.

For more on Google's auction possibilities:
- Read the pre-auction analysis at NetworkWorld

Google will make 700 Mhz bid

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:59:58 -0500

It's time for the rumors to stop and, well, for the new rumors to begin. It's finally confirmed--Google will take part in the 700 Mhz spectrum auction set for January 2008. According to chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt, it's time for the search giant to, "…put our money where our principles are. In further public statements, Google has said that their participation is all about customer choice. Most industry observers believe that it's at least a little bit about providing an avenue for moving Google to a new platform. We may find out beginning in a few weeks…

For more on the Google spectrum bid:
- Read the news story at DailyTechRag

Why does Google want spectrum?

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 06:59:56 -0500

Remember Google? They're the search-engine giant that seems to have become enamored with the idea of becoming a wireless company. Why would they want to do such a thing? Is spending an estimated $17 billion (that's right, with a capital "B") to build out a nationwide wireless network really part of their business plan? Google's not saying, but there are some reasonable guesses, and all of them revolve around an open platform for Google's software on wireless devices. The market estimates for wireless devices over the next few years range from "huge" to "you must be kidding" and Google clearly wants as many of those devices as possible to be running their applications. Will the coming spectrum auction accomplish their goals? Stay tuned to find out.

For more on Google's possible reasons for wanting wireless spectrum:
- Read the news analysis at eWeek

Google domination designs

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 06:59:56 -0500

It's not that Google wants to put out just another mobile wireless product--the search-engine giant has designs to change the nature of the wireless market. There's a big 700Mhz spectrum auction coming up, and no one knows how that will turn out, but with Android, Google has created a Linux-driven center of gravity for the wireless market to orbit. The operating system, which will power devices that compete with systems running the Symbian, Palm, and Windows Mobile operating systems, is intended to change the way the market functions--regardless of whether the radio in the device runs on 2G, 3G, or 4G.

For more on Google's wireless prospects:
- Read the market analysis at WirelessWeek

Microsoft's take on wireless

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:59:56 -0400

Microsoft has been making a lot of noise in the wireless space lately, from a stated interest in the 700 Mhz spectrum auction to the latest version of Windows CE for mobile devices. Now, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is talking about how all these developments tie together into a coherent strategy for wireless communications. What does he say? Windows Mobile 7 will be great, mobile advertising is coming (and Microsoft plans to be a big player), and the potential for email on mobile devices is still huge, since 98 percent of phones have never been used beyond voice.

What's more, the company announced System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008, an integrated Windows Mobile management platform that allows admins to manage fleets of Windows Mobile smartphones over-the-air.

For more on Ballmer's vision for Microsoft wireless:
- check out DailyTechRag's live coverage of Ballmer's keynote

Verizon drops 700Mhz suit

Mon, 29 Oct 2007 07:59:56 -0400

Verizon hasn't been happy about the way the debate over 700 Mhz has gone. Not long ago, the service provider filed suit against the FCC to force the commission to give up on the idea for open access in the new spectrum. Last week, Verizon dropped the suit, removing one road-block to the coming auction. Verizon had come under fire for a too-cozy relationship with some FCC staff members, and had seen support for their anti-open access position from rival AT&T evaporate. Unless additional objections are raised, the stage is set for the market to decide whether or not open access in the wireless spectrum is a good idea.

For more on the latest Verizon moves:
- read the full story at CIO-Today

700 Mhz auction delayed

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 06:59:56 -0400

If the 700 Mhz wireless segment is half as active after it officially exists as it is now, there are great things in store for new wireless communication options. Computer industry giants like Microsoft and Google are squaring off against cell phone titans like Verizon and AT&T, with the FCC is caught in the middle. The latest? The FCC chairman Kevin Martin says the commission is not changing the rules at this point, but it is going to delay the auction by one week, just to make sure that everything is orderly. Stay tuned--there is certain to be more news before the auction gavel bangs down.

For more on the latest 700 Mhz news:
- read the full report at CIO-Today