Time's running out for FCC Chairman Kevin Martin to set rules for the 2008 spectrum auction, and it looks like he's sticking with the half-concession he originally made regarding open access. And whether or not Google will bid is up in the air.
Google made
The idea behind this was to increase competition and consumer rights in the wireless space. AT&T and Verizon have been vehemently
"Wireless consumers in many other countries face fewer restraints: for example, they can take their cell phones with them when they change carriers, and they can use widely available Wi-Fi networks – available in their homes, at the airport or at other hotspots – to access the Internet."
Martin refuses to apply open platform principles to the entire 700 MHz platform, however, hoping that a small regulated slice of it will send the proper message to incumbent bidders and would-be owners.
"Nor have I proposed to apply network neutrality obligations or mandatory wholesale requirements for this block or any other block."
And you probably could have guessed that from Martin's history. If it's good for AT&T, it has, at least in the past few years, been good for Martin. What's more, Martin says that if the reserve is not met for the "Google Block," and if Google doesn't enter the auction, it very well may not be met, he will remove the restrictions for open access and try again.
That's a troubling dangler on the end of this speech, making the whole open access concession seem like a big show to shut up opposition long enough to hand over the spectrum to incumbents anyway. Unfortunately,
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