During the FCC’s recent auctions of the 700MHz wireless spectrum, Google risked owing the government slightly more than $4.6 billion simply to ensure that the open access rules it fought for would be imposed on whoever won. Verizon won, and now it must allow allow any device and any application to run on the future wireless broadband network it will build on top of that spectrum. Or does it?
Google is so worried that Verizon wlll try to find a loophole that it filed a petition with the FCC on Friday asking it to preemptively enforce the rules on Verizon. Excerpt (and full text embedded below):
The Commission’s open access rule is clear that C Block licensees “shall not deny, limit, or restrict the ability of their customers to use the devices and applications of their choice….” The rule also is explicit that C Block licensees may not “disable features on handsets it provides to customers.” The rule thus plainly proscribes a C Block licensee from selling handsets to customers that hinder a customer’s ability to use applications of their choice, and applies to all customers of a C Block licensee.
Notwithstanding the clarity of the rule, 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.”
Is Google just paranoid? Not exactly. There is a huge, gaping loophole in the rules. Namely, Verizon can block any device or application it deems to have a negative impact on the performance of its network.
While Verizon hasn’t explicitly said one way or the other how it will abide by the open access rules since winning the auction, it’s actions in the past do not inspire confidence. Before the auction, it tried to sue to stop the rules.
And when it announced that it would “open up” its existing network last fall, what it really meant was that it would create a two-tier system. Verizon phones and apps will continue to get preferential treatment, and everyone else’s will be relegated to a separate part of the network. The justification was—guess what?—to make sure that pesky unapproved apps and devices don’t mess up the network.
It should not surprise anybody if Verizon tries to use the same logic to de-fang the open access rules whenever it decides to build its 700 MHz network. Google can petition all it wants. But it might not do any good.
(Photo by Jurek Durczak).
Who cares what google thinks what verizon might do. I hope Verizon locks the network from any pos android devices. Ive used the prototype android phones, they are overhyped trash. The OS has nothing new except links to gmail, woopty doo. Windows mobile blows it out of the water.
Google should just have paid the real price – and stop whining now.
“Is Google just paranoid? Not exactly.” No, they know full well what it is to be on the giving end of this issue.
Remember this:
http://valleywa...on-pesky-humans
Google already blocks pesky unapproved apps and devices that it doesn’t like on it’s own network.
Despite this “stance” on net neutrality:
http://www.goog...neutrality.html
“Fundamentally, net neutrality is about equal access to the Internet. In our view, the broadband carriers should not be permitted to use their market power to discriminate against competing applications or content. Just as telephone companies are not permitted to tell consumers who they can call or what they can say, broadband carriers should not be allowed to use their market power to control activity online. Today, the neutrality of the Internet is at stake as the broadband carriers want Congress’s permission to determine what content gets to you first and fastest.”
I agree,, google took a gamble, and they lost. Cause what they are expecting to happen will happen. Google needs to make two purchases in order to get the golden ticket of dominating mobile ads. 1. Purchase Sprint. 2. Purchase HTC or possibly some other smaller mobile phone manufacturer. The ends justify the means, and dominating in the mobile wireless market, will definitely justify any costs now.
This is just a very expensive you-get-what-you-pay-for type of lesson for Google. If this is going according to plan (I can’t imagine it is), then Google’s strategy was a terrible one.
Google’s legal team must be a great place to get some experience, because they sure do seem to be spending an awful lot of time complaining about other businesses to the government.
Live by the sword, die by the sword…
GOOG PWNED
Screw the G!!
Verizon is a Bitchass!! Hate hate! ps- Valleyway broke this story first. sucker.
Verizon = Cisco = Microsoft = Complete lack of innovation.
There’s more at stake here than our opinions of Google and Verizon. We should help Google to make Verizon adhere to the spirit of the auction.
Call and write your representatives (http://www.votesmart.org/ for info on who they are and how to reach them). Tell them we want choice in how we use public spectrum, and we will remember those who give that choice away.
Surprise to see Google paranoid.
Now that I am no longer a customer of Verizon, I can sit back on my iPhone and just watch the tyranny of the former free internet begin.
Of course, I think a Google, AT&T partnership could help “blunt” the wrath of the Verizon beast.