Broadband PCS Spectrum Auction Closes; Winning Bidders Announced for Auction No. 58

FCC Auction 58 has ended, and companies have bid generously (greedily?) for the rights to bring Broadband PCS content to a handset near you. (Refer to Attachment A for the winners.) Over $2B was bid, spreading 217 licenses over 24 bidders, among 35 participants.

It is hard to wrap my mind around these sums, which don't include the cost of infrastructure to actually use the bandwidth. As with any fixed resource with high demand, the clash of Keynesian economics and Auction Theory combined to provide large windfalls of cash to the FCC.

Q. Who can trace the legal ownership of wireless spectrum in the U.S. to the FCC?

Verizon to Sell Verizon One Wi-Fi Hotspot Phone Manufactured by Westell

Verizon takes another step towards convergence in the home with the introduction of its Verizon One concept. From the release earlier this month, "Verizon One integrates several technologies -- including a DSL modem, 802.11g wireless router, 5.8 Ghz cordless telephone and color touch screen -- on a single desktop appliance that allows users to seamlessly manage all of their communications needs and devices."

Verizon's iobi Home service is designed to bring together digital and voice communications. This device, OEM'ed by Westell, will become the user's endpoint for that stack of services.


With multiple device manufacturers (public and private) playing with dual 802.11 VoIP/3G wireless phones and gateways in the labs, presumably personal "multi-mode" WLAN/WAN phones might cut 5.8 GHz cordless out of the equation at some point in the future.

As for the dedicated color touch screen, it seems like an entree to invite video communications (assuming the bandwidth available to most home users could handle it). The DSL back end ties the market to those homes within 18,000 feet of their CO. Without two-way (or perhaps at least one-way) video communication I'm not sure of the allure for those of us who may already spend entirely too much time in front of Internet-connected computer screens as it is.

Q. Do you prefer the one-device-does-all approach, or do you prefer to keep your surfing separate from you calling?