I was reading over on Google’s new-ish public policy blog where Richard Whitt pointed out voting on the auction rules will take place tomorrow. The entry where I spotted this timely reminder has a pretty good wrap up of the issues, at least from the technology companies’ point of view. I happen to agree, in particular that Martin’s policy specifics do not go far enough to realize his so-called third broadband pipe into the home.
There is no mention of whether Google will still bid if voting favors Martin’s more limited plan rather than Google’s more considered one. When Whitt uses a phrase like “despite the fact that we have not traditionally been a communications company”, I rather doubt they will bid under more restrictive rules.
I would hope that they would big, regardless, as them securing the spectrum would be one way they could implement their plan, regardless. The risk, as I’ve talked about in the podcast, under Martin’s rules is that one of the traditional telcos could make a blocking buy. They could secure and then warehouse spectrum to prevent any sort of competitive wireless broadband from being developed by anyone. Also as I discussed about the various critics of Martin’s rules, the division of the nation into regions means that such a blocking move would only need to lock up a few regions.
Unfortunately, this voting is all within the FCC so there is noting we can do but wait and see what tomorrow brings.
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