700MHz Auction Ends at $19.5 Billion

[Rob Williams]

From our front-page news:

The auction that felt like it was never going to end, has finally ended. The FCC-sponsored auction of the 700MHz spectrum hit a staggering $19.5 billion, far exceeding original expectations. As Ars Technica points out, $19 billion was hit in early February, so the last $0.5 billion really dragged things out.

Not surprisingly, the auction winners have not been disclosed, but the FCC promises the names to be revealed within ten days. Potential names are Google and Verizon, although many speculate that Google halted their bids early in the auction, which would be surprising to say the least.

As it stands though, the spectrum is not entirely freed up, and won't be until analog TV signals are ceased next February. It will be at that time when the winners will begin building their networks, so it may very-well take until late next year before we begin to see products using the spectrum.

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One of those new entrants may be Google, which was one of the companies approved for participation in the auction. It's more likely that one of the major wireless players like Verizon will walk away with Block C; however, the FCC is expected to release the identities of the winning bidders soon.

Source: Ars Technica
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[sbrehm72255]

This is really interesting for folks like myself that live way out in the country. Maybe one day we'll get some sort of real broadband.

The FCC is already testing products to be used on the old TV airwaves, the first unit failed (defective part) and is currently testing its replacement. If I remember correctly, the unit is a joint venture from several huge tech companies (MS, Google and others come to mind)

 

[Rob Williams]

I'd love to see something like that happen as well... I am just not sure how it will be done. For the most part, wireless internet is fine, but overall it's slow. But of course, it's still a massive bump up from dial-up or >1Mbit broadband, so it would be welcomed.

Too bad we are going to have to wait another while before we can find out what comes from it.

 

[sbrehm72255]

We'll be waiting till at least Feb next year when they stop TV broadcasts in that range, but something should happen shortly after that I would think.

 

[Merlin]

We'll be waiting till at least Feb next year when they stop TV broadcasts in that range, but something should happen shortly after that I would think.

Being in the cable market, they tell me a pushback to Sept 2009
But who knows....
Merlin

 

[sbrehm72255]

Haven heard that, but I did hear that the TV stations can switch over to full digital early if they are ready or need to for operational reasons.

 

[Rob Williams]

Not sure what happens in September, but the transition is supposed to complete next February as sbrehm mentioned:

http://www.dtv.gov/

 

[sbrehm72255]

Yup, that's where I read it last.......

Along with it being all over the TV everyday around here.

 

[Rob Williams]

Along with it being all over the TV everyday around here.

The funny thing about that is that people will blatantly ignore it, then when the plug is pulled, they will all be like, "WTF!".

 

[sbrehm72255]

The funny thing about that is that people will blatantly ignore it, then when the plug is pulled, they will all be like, "WTF!".

That is so true, there's a lot of people in the world that live inside their own mind and haven't a clue as to what's going on until something no longer works for them and then all they can do is complain that no one told them about it.

 

[linnerd40]

Darn Looks like Google didn't win it:

See Engadget for details...

Well, it will be interesting to see what these companies do with their piece of the spectrum...

 

[sbrehm72255]

Doesn't really matter who won the big chunk, the reserve for open access was met so who ever won has to let all the other types of devices use the band width, which is mainly what Google was in it for,,,,,,,,,, The other companies fought the open acess rules down to the end, even going to court, but Google got the FCC to set a 4.6 billion reserve price and if the bid went over that limit, the better part of the bandwidth (block C) would be open.

After yesterday's wrap-up of the gargantuan Auction 73 to offload the newly-freed 700MHz spectrum, it looks like the two champions to emerge are Verizon and AT&T. Big Red has emerged with virtually all of the highly coveted C Block save for Alaska, Puerto Rico, and the Gulf of Mexico, a logical move considering its recent foray into the wide world of open access. AT&T, meanwhile, has scored much of the B Block, giving it 12MHz of spectrum in many of over 700 "cellular market areas" nationwide. In total, Verizon laid out a whopping $4,741,807,000 to pick up the Block C airwaves, leaving early competitor Google in the dust -- and affirming rumors that Mountain View wasn't in it to win it, it just wanted to make sure the reserve price was met and open access rules were assured.

 

[linnerd40]

Hmm... good point sbrehm! Guess I should keep up with my news more

 

[Kougar]

Aye, Sbrehm is right on the money here.

For all intents and purposes, Google did win and didn't have to fork over the winning bid to do so.

 

[sbrehm72255]

All they did (Google) was force the others to beat their bid and exceed the 4.6 minimum requirement........ I guess the big telco's just couldn't stand Google walking away with a piece of the pie, but now they have to let Google use it anyways...............

You did notice that it didn't go much higher past the 4.6 point.

 

[sbrehm72255]

Here's link to one small news blog I found on prototype devices that will use the 700 MHz unused band with for internet access.

FCC tests "white space" prototypes, again
Posted by Marguerite Reardon | 3 comments

The Federal Communications Commission will begin the second phase of lab testing of prototype devices that use the "white space" between TV channels to transmit wireless communication signals.

Phase II of the testing, which is being conducted by the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, begins on January 24.

The testing is part of a proceeding that will determine if the "white space" or unused spectrum between broadcast TV channels can be used for wireless service without interfering with TV broadcasts.

Technology companies say that using the spectrum between the TV channels could unleash a wave of innovation. But TV broadcasters and Sprint Nextel, the third-largest cell phone carrier in the U.S., oppose the use of "white spaces" for wireless services.

The first phase of testing, which ended in July, stirred some controversy. According to the FCC's report, a Microsoft prototype device failed to detect broadcast signals, but one submitted by Koninklijke Philips Electronics worked just fine. Microsoft has refuted the results because it claims the device used in the test was damaged, therefore invalidating the results.

Now with Phase II, Microsoft will get a chance to redeem itself. The company has already submitted another prototype device, according to the FCC. Three other companies, Adaptrum, Motorola and Philips, have also submitted devices. Google, which is bidding in the 700MHz spectrum auction later this month, wasn't named by the FCC as submitting a device for testing. But the company did submit its own white space testing results to the FCC in December.

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9853054-7.html

 

[sbrehm72255]

Here's a bit more info on the subject of unused TV spectrum which is what Google really wants to use it seems (among others), from what I understand, this is wht Google was shooting for open access............

Wireless Internet service providers would be allowed to operate freely on new chunks of unused TV spectrum, according to two new bills in the U.S. Senate.

A pair of similar measures introduced Friday would give wireless device manufacturers the green light to develop products for unlicensed use on the broadband airwaves' "white spaces"--that is, empty, unused channels in the broadcast TV bands.

Companies interested in deploying Wi-Fi networks covet the bands of spectrum on which broadcast television currently resides because of its inherent scientific properties. Signals at that frequency travel straighter and farther. Consumer advocates say using the spectrum would enable cheaper and easier set-up--and thus more widespread access for rural and low-income areas.

That's one of the major reasons high-tech companies also have been clamoring for bumping broadcasters off the analog spectrum entirely. Congress has already mandated that movement--and the nation's transition to all-digital TV broadcasts--must happen by February 2009.

The rest of the story.

http://www.news.com/Bills-would-boost-unlicensed-Wi-Fi/2100-7351_3-6041585.html

 

[Merlin]

Here's a bit more info on the subject of unused TV spectrum which is what Google really wants to use it seems (among others), from what I understand, this is wht Google was shooting for open access............



The rest of the story.

http://www.news.com/Bills-would-boost-unlicensed-Wi-Fi/2100-7351_3-6041585.html

There are so many free WiFi spots now, I can go around DunkinDonuts and connect, if I need to google an address for a customer. Carobou Coffee is another ( you only get an hour ) but still it's a free connection.
I guess all this is for pay connection.

Merlin :techgage:

 

[sbrehm72255]

Yup, for us abused step children that live way out in the country so we can at least have something, seeing as the big telcos and cable companies don't think we're good enough for their services.