• The New York Times, Tuesday, May 22, 2007 10:32 AM

Google, champion of ad democratization, thinks the Feds should adopt its principles in allocating radio spectrum. In a filing with the FCC, the company called on the agency to auction off the next swath of spectrum in real-time, a la its search advertising system AdWords. Companies currently buy spectrum on long-term contracts; Google is suggesting that it be sold in real-time auctions on an ongoing basis.

While Google says it has no intention of participating in the auction itself, the company has a vested interest in "democratizing" (sort of) the process so that newer entrants have a better chance of outbidding telecom behemoths like AT&T and Verizon Communications. In this latest auction, several groups of bidders, in fact, hope to secure the spectrum to create an alternative broadband channel to cable and telecom company offerings.

"The driving reason we're doing this is that there are not enough broadband options for consumers," said Adam Kovacevich, a spokesman for Google's policy office in Washington. The search giant's filing comes two days before the FCC's deadline for public comments, after which the organization will set the rules for the auction.

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