Google could cause a stir in FCC's auction of airwaves

0 Comments | USA TODAY, January, 2008 | by Paul Davidson

A federal airwaves auction starting today is expected to bring consumers improved wireless broadband services and will likely provide the last opportunity to create a nationwide challenger to the big cellphone companies.

The Federal Communications Commission is auctioning off the last big swath of airwaves for the foreseeable future. While the bidding features such cellphone powerhouses as AT&T and Verizon, Google has emerged as a wild card that could win a chunk of spectrum and use it to provide a new national wireless service.

Some analysts are skeptical. Yet the online search giant has prodded the FCC to at least carve out conditions for certain airwaves that could help give consumers new choices in handsets and applications.

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