Doerr Wants To Take Down The Telcos (And Save The Planet)

On the final panel at Web 2.0, Kleiner Perkins venture capitalist John Doerr really went after the cellular telecom companies (Verizon and AT&T), explaining why he is fighting so hard to influence the rules of the next auction of 700MHz wireless spectrum. Doerr is on the board of Google, which has committed to bid $4.6 billion in the auction, and is an investor in Frontline Wireless, which is also a key player in helping to shape the auction’s rules. Doerr explains why this fight is so important:

This is the last auction. It is the last opportunity in our lifetime (for the United States). Otherwise, there will continue to be a duopoly. A lot is at stake. How will the next Internet be controlled?

Can we win or not? I don’t know. If there is a real revolution, there are losers as well as winners. Will the incumbent wireless systems see disruptive change or very gradual evolution?

He also implored the entrepreneurs in the room to do something about climate change:

The size of this problem is enormous. It is the biggest problem we all face. We share one atmosphere. Never underestimate the power of a handful of dedicated entrepreneurs to change the world, because in my experience that is the only thing that ever has.

I’m sure Margaret Mead would agree.