digg

Facebook Connect Join Digg About

What to Expect From Google and the 700-MHz Spectrum

pcworld.com — One of the biggest telecom events in 2008 is slated to start on January 24, when both telcos and Internet companies will be able to place their bids on blocks of the 700-MHz spectrum.

Who dugg this? Made popular Dec 16, 2007

Digg DudeWhat is Digg?

Digg is a place for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the web. Digg surfaces the best stuff as submitted and voted on by the community. Take the Tour to learn more.

40 Comments

show profanity settings
expand all
  • ponyfreak, on 12/16/2007, -5/+43even simpler summary:

    google may spend a lot of money on something they don't know what to do with yet
  • Yez70, on 12/16/2007, -0/+6Wasn't Google's intention if they buy spectrum to simply become a wholesaler? I'm sure they will still be forced to implement some sort of national network if they win the national specturm, but I wouldn't expect it to be a full fledged provider. They'll more likely partner with others and let them do the work - under Google's 'Do No Evil' rules...
  • zachriggle, on 12/16/2007, -4/+10Summary...
    Building and operating a network requires a lot of expertise that Google doesn't have right now," he says. "They could certainly get it, because they're looking at multiple years of effort. But chances are at end of day, Google is more likely to invest money in upgrading their search engine and in selling ads.

    "Google is not looking at becoming a direct competitor with the major telcos," he says. "Rather, I think they want to use the spectrum to entice people who are network operators to build out the kind of open-access network that Google wants. If Verizon or AT&T buys that spectrum, then Google will have to live with whatever kind of open-access network that the carriers want to build."
  • themoosejuice, on 12/16/2007, -0/+5GOOGLE NATIONWIDE WIFI:

    remember google nationwide wifi? hmmmmm... still only 1 city. doh!
  • krusader3z, on 12/16/2007, -1/+6I agree. I see google going toe-to-toe with the telcos in the coming years.

    They would get my business instantly. I have been using their quality products free of charge for years, could only imagine what kinda service they could provide if I was a paying customer.
  • galahan, on 12/16/2007, -3/+7"Google is not looking at becoming a direct competitor with the major telcos," he says. "Rather, I think they want to use the spectrum to entice people who are network operators to build out the kind of open-access network that Google wants. If Verizon or AT&T buys that spectrum, then Google will have to live with whatever kind of open-access network that the carriers want to build."

    Uh, they already got that. The 700Mhz spectrum will have open-access no matter who buys it. That was the whole point of Google's efforts and they got that. And that's exactly why they WON'T bid aggressively. They don't want to become a telco and they just put a bid in to save face. It's just a bluff. They already won their personal battle regarding the spectrum.
  • skyshock1, on 12/16/2007, -0/+3Bear in mind signals that travel at 700 Mhz can travel for almost 60 miles unencumbered. If Google did want to build an infrastructure out, it wouldn't be nearly as large of an undertaking since less towers would be required per square metric than current wireless providers use.
  • inactive, on 12/16/2007, -5/+8not just because I'm a google fanboy but i think you people are underestimating googles ability and vision they are always a couple of steps ahead of where we think they are and they always manage to positively suprise me so its a well deserved fanboy status
  • StealthPersona, on 12/16/2007, -0/+2Why do you say this? Wasn't it AT&T's CEO that threatened to cut them off at the knees last year by adding an extra tax for all the packets that went from Google's computers to the AT&T subscribers? (Or throttling those packets?) Maybe Google wants to ensure that they have a direct path to consumers so they're not vulnerable to this tactic in the future.
  • StealthPersona, on 12/16/2007, -1/+3Google can buy the radio technology (antennas, BTS, etc.) and piggy back on towers that are already out there. Google now has a platform for mobile communications devices (Android). Google can use it's backhaul networks, the dark fiber it has acquired, and the new data centers it has built out to create a national IP wireless network.

    They can put a modified version of Google Talk on the phone so you can chat, mail, and call. They can offer free VoIP calls to any other Google Talk user, and calls to land lines or other carriers' cell phones have a nominal fee that covers the termination charges Google will have to pay to the other network operators. Of course, international calls will also be charged (unless they are Google Talk VoIP calls).

    Google can track your location and deliver ads anywhere at any time, ads can show on your device screen, and ads can be played over VoIP (e.g., when searching or accessing your voice mail). They can get a royalty from device manufacturers that ship Android phones. There are tons of ways for Google to make money even if they give the network access and VoIP calls away for free.

    I think Google certainly can create a compelling service offering with the nation's first all-IP mobile network. Realize that they'll have a year to get ready because the spectrum doesn't open up until 2009... that will give them a lot of time to line up handset manufacturers to support Android and get some radio towers built (and they won't need as many as AT&T, Verizon, etc. since 700MHz signals travel through walls and other obstacles much better than the 1900 MHz signals the other guys use (yes, AT&T has some 850MHz too).
  • skyshock1, on 12/16/2007, -1/+3dumbass. Google already HAS bid. http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/our-commitm ...

  • drjekelmrhyde, on 12/16/2007, -0/+2How dare you say something bad about Google on Digg even if it's the truth, you must be buried
    //I dugg your comment up
  • inactive, on 12/16/2007, -1/+3Google will lose. If Google wins, the Telecoms lose their stranglehold over the airspace and all the profit they reap from it. They will pay through the teeth to keep Google from getting everything.
  • drjekelmrhyde, on 12/16/2007, -0/+2By the time Google get it together Both Att, T-Mobile and Verizon will have LTE out in full effect
    LTE is 4G
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Long_Term_Evolut ...
    http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Verizon-Wireles ...
    http://www.phonescoop.com/news/item.php?n=2244
    and if Google goes Sprints' route of Wi-Max they will be crushed


  • StealthPersona, on 12/16/2007, -1/+2So you're betting for AT&T to move faster than Google?? That's a laugh!

    Google can go right ahead and deploy an all-IP 4G radio network unencumbered from legacy circuit-switched telephony support. They can move much faster because of the fact that they don't need to worry about how they're going to pay to pull 70 million subscribers along with the upgrade like AT&T does.
  • StealthPersona, on 12/16/2007, -1/+2We're talking about licensed spectrum here, and a multiple square mile coverage area from a single access point.

    Comparing this to WiFi is truly a case of apples and oranges.
  • skyshock1, on 12/16/2007, -0/+14.6 billion dollars is a hell of a bluff my friend.
  • EndersGame, on 12/16/2007, -3/+4Nobody is disputing that they are an ad company, that is kind of obvious. Their bottom line is increasing ad revenue, and they have found ways to do it that please the end user. Their services are top notch and their ads are almost non-existent. You act like no good can come of this, that only Google is going to benefit from whatever they do. I saw lots of benefits when they revamped email with Gmail, and I am hoping that they bring benefits to wireless internet IF they win the 700-MHz spectrum. They have shown interest in offering wifi, either for free with ads or at a low rate without ads, before and they certainly have enough dark fiber to do it. They are progressive enough that I don't see them screwing us over like the major telcos do on a daily basis, for example I see them charging a flat rate for internet access and we get EVERYTHING that comes with that for free: VOIP, instant messaging, e-mail. FREE. (not really because we pay for that stuff with an internet connection but that doesn't stop telcos from charging each separately) And if they offer this all on an ad supported device thats meant to replace the cell phone, they could make a killing.
  • theaceoffire, on 12/16/2007, -0/+1They will bid, they probably wont win.
  • xptoast, on 12/16/2007, -1/+2I would buy that cell service. Screw the other services. I bet you would get one heck of a deal. Maybe some decent help when you need it. Good phone service is hard to come by. Stupid verizon and all the other greedy bastards out there. Google rocks. A do no evil kind of company is what we all need. Not greedy bastards. It would be nice however if it wasn't just Google being a do no evil company. I don't want a super nice company running everything. Maybe a few nice companies running everything.
  • JQP123, on 12/16/2007, -0/+1" You act like no good can come of this, that only Google is going to benefit from whatever they do."

    And you act like their primary motivation is to give away FREE stuff. They're a "for profit" corporation. They only give stuff away because they want something in return ... like full access to your most private email.
  • jwilliamsoh, on 12/16/2007, -2/+2Google has an advertising machine that is pretty well oiled. They have already branched out, away from direct media mediums.

    I can see the cash rich Google branching in this direction; owning the last mile... They can really see what users are doing if they are doing it across their own pipe. They can channel, direct, and control every aspect of the delivery process. That said they become an end point, a vehicle for software companies, hardware companies, ect... All this can and will fuel the heavily branded engine called Google.

    Nothing wrong with it; Google is a good company with a great product. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
  • karmaghost, on 02/07/2008, -0/+0Now that the auction is coming closer to an end, I thought I'd revisit this. The article you linked to said Google would make a commitment that they would bid, but they hadn't yet. So, I was wrong in saying they wouldn't, you were wrong in saying they had. I was right in saying they didn't care if they won or not, they were going to bid the minimum required to have the open development provisions (which is what they said in the article you linked). It also looks like I was right that Verizon would win: http://gizmodo.com/353247/analysts-say-ring-the-be ...
  • baalzebub, on 12/16/2007, -3/+3google should hire cellphone tech and compete with AT&T/Cingular, Verizion and all the other cellphone giants, and wifi intertubes...
  • Myztry, on 12/16/2007, -2/+2"Google doesn't have the expertise". LOL
    Firstly expertise is a trait of people, not companies. And as such is a trade-able commodity. Not to disrespect anyone skills.
    Google's strength lies in the mass processing of digital data. Voice is but one of the multitude of digitally representable communications and trivial to implement inside a fully capable network. The US Telco's can't even get a grip of 3G.
    Google also has a massive amount of good will which the Telco's have deprived themselves off. And being that wireless is a 'last mile' connection it would be extremely difficult for legacy Telco's to keep themselves in the money stream. The "don't be evil" phrase is death to lock-in contracts and similar evil practices.
  • darlyn, on 12/16/2007, -3/+3So basically, there won't be anything to be hyped about conerning the 700MHz spectrum for the next few years.
  • karmaghost, on 12/26/2007, -0/+0Alright, how 'bout this. They won't win and they don't care because of what I said before. You seem pretty upset over nothing. Wanna talk about it?
  • inactive, on 12/16/2007, -1/+1more like apples and supermutated pumpkins.
  • xptoast, on 12/16/2007, -1/+1yay for do no evil kind of google
  • locojones, on 12/16/2007, -1/+1I can imagine. A whole lot of services that never make it out of beta whose sole purpose is to further profile me as an individual in their neverending database so they can serve ads in the quest for the almight dollar.
  • bxyldy, on 12/16/2007, -1/+1i keep waiting for spring to not suck... it's never going to happen, is it?
  • StealthPersona, on 12/16/2007, -1/+0Believe me, Google knows where to place the ads. They'll be on the screen, on the maps, on the search results, and also in the audio stream when you make calls and pick up voice mail. They already have voice-based search that plays ads (1-800-GOOG-411).

    Ads will allow for free network access and free Google-to-Google calling, and many people will opt in to save money, just as they already do for ad-supported television services.
  • hollyminkowski, on 12/16/2007, -3/+2You may be right.
    But somehow I think Google wants this new toy badly and will bid whatever they have to to win it.
  • dagr8tim, on 12/16/2007, -4/+2Google has surprised us before. *IF* google wins any part of the spectrum, I see them buying/heavily investing a wireless company to do the actual build out.
  • xptoast, on 12/16/2007, -3/+1Nice. I laughed a fair bit at this.
  • invasi0n, on 12/16/2007, -5/+3"What to Expect From Google and the 700-MHz Spectrum" - Well, of course, nothing right now. Why? Because they haven't figured out yet where to place the ADS.
    But what to expect in general from Google? Well, of course, more and more ADS and Beta. Oh yeah I forgot... they will probably buy some more small companies (like they did with YouTube) just to have more space where to place their ADS.
    You can bury me all night long but you will see that Google is just like any other who loves Only the Billions (millions is just a word that monsters like Microsoft, Apple, Google, etc really hate it nowadays).
  • karmaghost, on 12/16/2007, -2/+0Google won't bid on this, they already got what they wanted which is that the network will be required to allow open development. Most likely to bid and win? Verizon. Expect them to fight the open provisions as much as possible.
  • celkin, on 12/16/2007, -6/+0I just lost the game.
  • JQP123, on 12/16/2007, -12/+5Even simpler summary:

    Google in a marketing and advertising company ... period, the end.

    Everything they do is aimed at increasing ad revenue. They don't care about no steekin' wireless infrastructure. What they really want is to push advertising to your cell/smart phone and any spectrum they win will be used as a bargaining chip toward that end.
  • thechosen, on 12/16/2007, -10/+3My birthday may be one of the most important days in history then.

    Oh, and I guess it'll be important because of this too.

  • Add a Comment

    Login or register to comment!
    Or, sign-in super fast with your Facebook account ...


© Digg Inc. 2009 — Content created and posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain | Terms of Use Updated | Privacy Policy
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.