• The New York Times, Tuesday, January 22, 2008 11:30 AM

Google will be one of the most closely watched bidders when the highly anticipated FCC spectrum auction begins on Thursday, but the company doesn't stands much of a chance of winning any licenses. But no matter: Google already won a substantial victory in the form of the auction rules, which stipulates that the auction winners of one portion of the available spectrum open their wireless networks to makers of handsets and other mobile devices.

The radio spectrum licenses, on auction now that television broadcasters have been forced to convert from analog to digital signals, "are as coveted as oil reserves are to energy companies," the Times says, adding that the winners will build out a nationwide network that sends farther signals from cell towers using less power, over greater distances, through walls and in far-reaching rural areas.

Meanwhile, the auction is taking place at a time when mobile wireless is becoming the next big opportunity for content creators and advertisers. The minimum bid price for five blocks of licenses (a total of 1,099) is $10 billion. Analysts believe this auction will surpass the previous record of $13.7 billion in 2006.

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