Information Society Watch

July 30 2007, Kim Har, Washington Post

The article looks at the implications of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) setting the rules for governing the auction of public airwaves in the USA. Google is seeking to aggressively enter this space with an approach different to the traditional behemoths like AT & T and Verizon. In the current business model, the carriers have control over content like web-sites and media that can be accessed from cell phones. Google is proposing to build a more open network with greater accessibility to devices as well as software and companies which do not belong to the service provider. Currently there is hectic lobbying in Washington by Google as well as the carriers in order to influence the policymakers and its outcome may well mark a sea-change in the way consumers use the wireless networks of the future.

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