Posted by Chris Sacca, Head of Special
Initiatives
For several years now, many Googlers have been working to identify
the obstacles that prevent the Internet from being
available to everyone on the planet. It strikes us as unfair
that some people should enjoy such abundant access
to this rich resource while billions of others aren't so
lucky. Though the technology exists today to provide access on a
global scale, often we have learned technology isn't the
problem. In this context, we have worked hard to advance a set of
principles that will make Internet access for all a priority.
For instance, we wrote
href="http://googlepublicpolicy.blogspot.com/2007/07/promise-of-open-platforms-in-upcoming.html"
>last week on our Public Policy Blog about
Google's interest in promoting competition in the broadband
market here in the U.S., to help ensure that as many Americans as
possible can access the Internet. However, it takes more than just
ideas and rhetoric if you want to help bring the Internet to
everyone.
So today, we're putting consumers' interests first, and
putting our money where our principles are — to the tune of $4.6
billion. Let me explain.
In the U.S., wireless spectrum for mobile phones and data is
controlled by a small group of companies, leaving consumers with
very few service providers from which to choose. With that in mind,
last week, as the federal government prepares for what is arguably
its most significant auction of wireless spectrum in history, we
href="http://services.google.com/blog_resources/ex_part_via_efiling.pdf"
>urged the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) to adopt rules to make sure that regardless of who wins the
spectrum at auction, consumers' interests are the top priority.
Specifically, we encouraged the FCC to require the adoption of four
types of "open" platforms as part of the auction:
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; and
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.
As
>numerous public
interest organizations noted earlier this week, all four of
these conditions adopted together would promote a spirit of
openness, and could spur additional forms of competition from
web-based entities, such as software applications providers,
content providers, handset makers, and ISPs. The big winners?
Consumers. As choices increase, prices come down and more Americans
have access to the Net.
The FCC is currently considering draft rules for the auction, and
the reports we've heard are that those rules include some –
but not all four — of the openness conditions that we and consumer
groups support. While any embrace of open platforms is welcome,
only if the FCC adopts all four principles will we see the
genuinely competitive marketplace that Americans deserve. In
particular, guaranteeing open services and open networks would
ensure that entrepreneurs starting new networks and services will
have a fair shot at success, in turn giving consumers a wider
choice of broadband providers.
There are some who have claimed that embracing these principles and
putting American consumers first might somehow devalue this
spectrum. As much as we don't believe this to be the case,
actions speak louder than words. That's why our CEO Eric
Schmidt today sent a
href="http://services.google.com/blog_resources/Google_Ex_Parte_Letter_Signed.pdf" >
letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, saying that, should the
FCC adopt all four license conditions requested above, Google
intends to commit at least $4.6 billion to bidding for spectrum in
the upcoming 700 Mhz auction.
Why $4.6 billion? While we think that a robust and competitive
auction based on these four principles will likely produce much
higher bids, and we are eager to see a diverse set of bidders
competing, $4.6 billion is the reserve price that FCC has proposed
for the auction. With any concerns about revenue to the U.S.
Treasury being satisfied, we hope the FCC can return its attention
to adopting openness principles for the benefit of consumers.
In the meantime, thank you to those who have reached out to help
with our efforts. It feels good to see how many of you support true
competition for the benefit of consumers and we look forward to
hearing from even more of you in the days to come.
For now, and for all of us, the issue is simple: this is one of the
best opportunities we will have to bring the Internet to all
Americans. Let's seize that opportunity.
Note: We've cross-posted this to
our Public Policy
Blog.
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