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Kevin Martin Rejects Google’s Wireless Spectrum Proposal

6:05 am on July 26, 2007 | Category: Business, Regulation, Wireless

FCC Chairman, Kevin Martin, has announced that he will not support Google’s â€œopenâ€ wireless auction proposal, greatly reducing the likelihood of the internet giant bidding next year’s spectrum sale.

Mr. Martin indicated his opposition to the idea in a House subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, making it the first time he has spoken publicly about a widely anticipated sale of wireless airwaves expected to happen early next year.

In a possible concession to Google, however, Martin proposed that approximately one third of the airwaves sold would require buyers to offer open network access. That would potentially prevent American wireless incumbents from limiting which devices can be used to access their networks. It could also weaken the â€œwalled gardenâ€ approach that carriers use to force their own mobile internet services on customers.

Martin’s proposal stops well short of Google’s stated objectives, however, failing to guarantee spectrum to new bidders, or force buyers to lease their acquired spectrum on a wholesale basis.

“The proposal I’ve put forth isn’t designed to facilitate the entry of any one company,” Martin explained, noting that Google wanted regulators to guarantee that it could either buy spectrum of its own, or lease it from another company.

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