The recent FCC spectrum auctions netted $19.6 billion. In essence a group of companies paid for exclusive licensure of several bands of the public airwaves. Which begs the question, if they have exclusive licensure (guaranteed by law and by the enforcement powers of the FCC), what happens with all those wireless microphones currently operating (both legally, but mostly illegally) in those bands?

The only solution is going to be that they will have to vacate those bands -- thus far, there's been nothing but silence on the issue. Personally, I plan to grab some popcorn and watch how the telcos and FCC deal with the problem. Meanwhile, devices are, even today, being sold that use this band -- basically, it's pirate radio equipment being manufactured and sold by major corporations. This is going to get interesting.

Now that the reserve price has been met, the open platform requirements on the C block 700 MHz spectrum auction are a guarantee. So what's left to do? Well, let's watch what happens:

Point your browser to:
https://auctionsignon.fcc.gov/signon/index.htm

Under the "Public Access" section, choose the "Auction 73" option from the pull-down menu and click the "Go" button.

Then click the "Results" tab (up at the top of the page).

Why watch? Because one of two things is about to happen -- either the results will keep going up (the current bid as of a few minutes ago is $4,713,823,000) or they'll stay the same. While bidders are anonymous and I can't guarantee anything, chances are, if the bid stays the same, there's only one bidder (probably Google unless Verizon got in just under the wire); if the results keep going up, then there's at least a couple groups bidding.

If the results keep going up, could be that Google is actually making a play for the spectrum (or it could be that two incumbents are battling it out); if things stay the same, well, could be that Google's the only one bidding.

Either way, with new rounds happening every 30 minutes -- it's a way to watch the future of telecommunications unfolding right before your very eyes. Personally, I've got my office desktop computer tuned to this while I'm working on my laptop.

Exciting stuff!

Presented at the 2007 Community Wireless Infrastructure Research Project (CWIRP) Workshop in Toronto, Canada on October 16, 2007, "US Telecommunications: Policy and Fantasy in the 21st Century" takes analyses the implications of four initiatives affecting 21st century telecommunications:

1. Broadband Census of America Act of 2007
2. Community Broadband Act
3. Open Platform requirements of the 700MHz spectrum auction
4. White Space Devices

From Harold Feld -- lots of amazingly useful info on the pending 700MHz fiasco/proceedings:

Ya know, I had real hopes that, barring a Petition for Reconsideration or two, I was pretty much done with the 700 MHz auction. Sure, Verizon filed a lawsuit with the DC Circuit, but at least we could sit back and stop worrying about the FCC stuff. And besides, the lawsuit didn't really have much of a chance anyway. So, after a grueling 6 months or so, I thought I could finally relax and turn to something new, like kicking the bejeezus out of the cable monopoly.

Hah.

As recent reports indicate, Verizon has apparently pressed the FCC to “clarify” the C Block conditions. I say “apparently” because Verizon has not actually filed a request for any sort of clarification, reconsideration, or declaratory ruling. Indeed, to my considerable annoyance, it took a modest reprimand from the Wireless Bureau and Martin's staff for Verizon to actually put something in the record vaguely resembling a description of what Verizon's most senior lobbyists actually discussed with the Chairman and his staff. Verizon, meanwhile, vigorously denies they ever asked for reconsideration (and, separately, that it finds the accusation that it violated the ex parte shocking and deeply offensive).