Google is throwing its wealth around to encourage the FCC to:”
- let customers download and use any software on the network
- let customers use any device on the network
- sell wireless space to any third-party wireless provider at commercial rates
- allow the wireless network to interconnect with other Internet service providers.
” in the upcoming auction of the 700MHz spectrum. The Old-Telco companies want none of it, but the FCC has already sided with Openness on the first two. Now Google is showing that the FCC can Do The Right Thing without losing out on revenue from the auction. If Old-Telco won’t play, Google will.
Interestingly, this is the strategy advocated by Ron Paul when he visited Google recently. It wasn’t clear from the video that they liked his response at the time, but apparently it’s grown on them. Watch the video, it’s a good listen:
(Flash Movie Above)