Google bid at least $4.6 billion for WiFi project
Google has pledged to bid a minimum of $4.6 billion for the upcoming wireless spectrum auction run by the Federal Communications Commission. In an open letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Google’s Eric Schmidt said that the company would bid, if the FCC mandates open connectivity for the winners. Specifically Schmidt wants the winners of the 700 MHz band auction to allow mobile devices to be able to connect anywhere and use any application. In addition, he wants third party mobile phone providers to be able to buy access at wholesale rates. Currently mobile phone services are controlled by a small group of companies (namely AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, etc). Google also wants the winners to allow broadband providers to link up with the wireless spectrum at “technically feasible” points.
The FCC hasn’t set a date for the auction, but some think it could happen as early as January. The auction could raise almost $20 billion, but so far no concrete rules have been set for bidding. The FCC has released some draft proposals, but those don’t include all the points that Google wants. Keep in mind that Schmidt pledged a minimum of $4.6 billion and Google has enough cash on hand to completely dominate the auction if Verizon or any of the other carriers decide to get into a bidding war. If Google wins the auction, it will essentially become a wireless carrier – perhaps that often rumored Google Phone will eventually become a reality. While it’s a really good idea to offer a free WiFi for everyone, many people think this is just another plan of Google to become a worl-dominant internet giant, which can allow the company to turn from good to evil side within seconds…
Source: TGDaily, Forbes
Comments(11)
I saw a great documentary about google and their suposed world domination. It’s a bit exaggerated in my point of view. Does every company have to turn into some “resident evil, umbrellacorp.” style of company just becaus they try to establish in many sectors?
Mathias, unfortunately I think the answer to your question is yes. Google has shareholders, and under U.S law the company is legally obligated to maximise profits for the shareholders. Therefore it’s impossible for Google to live up to their motto. If the shareholders require evil, Google must provide it.
But the question is, what is evil? Monopoly? Leaving information about diferent users search querys or world domination? I don’t think we need to be that worried even if the shareholders want them to be big brothers little helper…
Google can buy everything they want, I just pray to jesus (literally) that they don’t do the same stuff Umbrella did
and that they don’t make a Rage virus and totally pwn everyone
haha sorry for the off topic spam comment
I just finished watching 28 weeks later
I’m still scared
Mathias, I suppose we could list many forms of corporate ‘evil’, but if you don’t consider world domination by a single corporation to be a bad thing I have to wonder why you asked the question in the first place…? Troll?
You took it the wrong way, i meant that with the current laws and way corporates work (atleast where i live) i dont think that their will be any possebilety for them to ever get “world domination”. I ment it in a sarcastic way…. Troll ^o) …
Mathias, ok, I suppose the same argument applies to your ’sarcastic’ comment about Google’s disregard for privacy. If you don’t believe that’s a problem, what are you asking? Are you just stating your belief that corporations can do no wrong?
No, but that the whole discussion in media and so on has blown up into huge proportions and there is surely thinks that is more of a danger to our personal integrety than google. CCTV as an exampel.
http://www.opensourceresistance.org
True, but that doesn’t make huge corporations any less dangerous.
Google has already violated their very Creedo of ‘Do No Evil’ by allowing the communist government of China to censor the internet (google’s access anyway) and therefore control the chinese public’s ability to access the information THEY want. Quashing freedoms is the opposite of ‘Do No Evil’
Google may become a larger and more sinister company than the likes of MS or government entity.
True U.S. business / corporations can be mean, ugly (even ugly american type companies) do things your mother would not approve of (meaning microsoft type of business antics) but there does come a point when being a large company that affects so many people and countries that the goverment has to step in order to prevent what we all fear…. I just hope it does not come to late. But if those in power get paid off then we are all screwed.