Dec 20, 2007 at 9:59am ET by Greg Sterling
When the applications were submitted to the FCC to bid in the forthcoming 700MHz wireless spectrum auction, it appeared that there were going to be a handful of major bidders: Verizon, AT&T, Cox Communications, Frontier Wireless, MetroPCS, and Google. In fact, there were 266 would-be bidders that submitted applications, although the FCC accepted only 96 of them. The rest were deemed incomplete.
Google Airwaves, Inc. was one of the 96 accepted applications, while many others were put on the incomplete list, including Alltel, AT&T, Cox, Chevron, MetroPCS, Qualcomm, and numerous others. These incomplete applications are being returned to be revised for resubmission.
Simply because a company has submitted an application does not mean that it’s compelled to bid, and many of these companies may wind up not bidding in the auction. The bidding will begin on January 24, but it could be until March before a winner is identified.
It’s by no means clear that Google will succeed in the auction. If the company were to win, however, it’s not clear what it would do with the spectrum; possibilities include licensing it to others or becoming a wireless carrier or ISP itself. However, there are many Google critics who contend that if the company is actually seeking to become a wireless operator, it underestimates the cost and difficulty of successfully doing that.
Share, Bookmark & Discuss This Article
More:
Keep Updated: News Via Email | News Via RSS Feed | News Via Twitter
See more stories like this in the Members Library! Check out the Google: Mobile sections of the Members Library where this story is filed. Members also get access to exclusive video content, a members-only weekly & monthly newsletter, plus more. Check out all the benefits!
TOP STORIES
SEARCH NEWS BRIEFS
FEATURES & ANALYSIS
RECENT COMMNENTS
Stay on top of all the search news with our daily summary, the SearchCap newsletter. View a sample ›
Search Engine Land produces SMX, the Search Marketing Expo conference series. SMX events deliver the most comprehensive educational and networking experiences - whether you're just starting in search marketing or you're a seasoned expert.
SMX Web Site » | SMX Difference » | SMX News »
Join us at an upcoming SMX event:
Learn more about search marketing with our free online webcasts and webinars from our sister site, Search Marketing Now. Upcoming online events include:
Featured sites from our Blogroll
Become a premium member today and receive: