Despite the rules governing the 700 Mhz auction, Verizon has arrogantly decided that they are somehow not required to participate. Well, hell, that’s exactly what one ought to expect when there is a lawless administration, but that’s another story…

Google Accuses Verizon of Planning to Dodge 700 MHz Open Access Rules

Verizon has taken the public position that it may exclude its handsets from the open access condition. Verizon believes it may force customers who want to access the open platform using a device not purchased from Verizon to go through “Door No. 1,” while allowing customers who obtain their device from Verizon access through “Door No. 2.”

“When the FCC announced the open access requirements, Verizon asked the the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to find those conditions unlawful and only withdrew its appeal after that court denied Verizon’s request for an expedited review and after the wireless industry’s trade association, CTIA, filed a similar appeal”

Therefore, screw the court! Great attitude, and they somehow deserve credibility? Trust?

You may not like Google but, as in reality, thank God they exist!

“On Friday, Google urged the FCC to block Verizon Wireless’ $4.7 successful bid for the C Block band of spectrum in the recently completed 700 MHz auction unless Verizon is forced to agree that open access rules apply to handsets it provides its own customers. Specifically, Google claims that Verizon Wireless has no intention of abiding by the open access rules governing the C block spectrum for devices it gives to its own customers and that the FCC should condition Verizon’s grant upon a clear commitment that Verizon will not exclude these handsets from the requirement.”

Perhaps someone might want to check into how many Congressmen/lawyers/judges are in Verizon’s pocket? Oh, no, sorry, that sounds undemocratic…

Read more at Broadband Reports.

Post from: EveryJoe

Sure – Trust A Telco – Go Ahead…

“The gag order that silenced those participating in the FCC’s auction that ended last month was lifted late Thursday (4/03). Now companies are free to discuss their plans and strategies for bidding in the auction.”

Yet its beginning to appear that part of the plans and strategies are to circumvent the FCC’s requirement for openness.

Speaking of Verizon in a later article, Marguerite Reardon tells us;

“But for all the lip service being paid toward wireless openness, the reality is quite different.”

“In November, Verizon announced it was launching a program that supposedly would allow any device or application to be certified for use on its network.”

“The company still doesn’t allow any device to connect to the network. Handset manufacturers still have to go through a certification process. In other words, if you wanted to use your old Sprint Nextel phone, which uses the same underlying CDMA network technology that Verizon’s network uses, you couldn’t.”

“Under this new model, Verizon still maintains control of which devices get on the network. This is completely different from how the traditional Internet operates.”

So much for wireless openness eh? Did we really expect anything different? Does it matter that some are paying attention? For example;

“Richard Whitt, Washington telecom and media counsel for Google, said in an interview with CNET News.com that he and his team are still evaluating Verizon’s open device program, but it seems clear from his definition of ‘open access’ that Verizon is falling short of expectations.”

How loud is your voice Richard? Will it reach Kevin Martin and, if it does, will Kevin Martin be simply a face, as many have said?

Whats that? Richard answers – “Clearly it would be great to say the carriers are always sensitive to consumers’ needs or that they want to maximize consumer welfare. But in many cases there will always be the need for Congress and the FCC at a minimum to provide careful oversight.”

Congress… yeah, sure, that’s it!

Post from: EveryJoe

700MHz Spectrum Auction Chatter [Post-Bidding]

Google: Spectrum bid goal was openness, not winning

Google says it participated in the recent wireless spectrum auction not with the goal to win, but to help drive bidding high enough to ensure that open-access rules it had pushed for would be adopted.

“Google’s top priority heading into the auction was to make sure that bidding on the so-called ‘C Block’ reached the $4.6 billion reserve price that would trigger the important ‘open applications’ and ‘open handsets’ license conditions,” Richard Whitt, Washington telecom and media counsel, and Joseph Faber, corporate counsel, wrote in a posting Thursday on Google’s Public Policy Blog.

That post makes reference to an entry from last July which says;

Our position is simple enough. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and the other commissioners have argued persuasively that we need a real third pipe broadband competitor in this country. They also believe that the upcoming 700 MHz auction is the best way to get there. All we are saying is that, based on what we know, new broadband competition will emerge from the upcoming auction only if the FCC’s rules allow it to happen. For Google, and other potential new entrants, the prevailing imbalance can be corrected most effectively by introducing license conditions based on open platforms.

I believe the day will come, perhaps not in the immediate future – possibly much later – as whatever democracy is left, when folks look back, this effort by Google will be seen as truly beneficial to all. Unless, the Telcos gain immunity…

Post from: EveryJoe

Google Improved Part of Your Future