Police Radio = Google??

In an odd but perhaps not unexpected twist in this era of technology, Internet search giant Google has become involved in the process for auctioning off spectrum in the much sought-after 700 MHz band, which includes possible public safety use. On Monday Google filed comments with the FCC on the upcoming auction process, saying that the standard one-price, one-slice method of allocating the spectrum is inefficient and wasteful. Instead, Google proposed using “dynamic auction techniques, such as real-time auctions and per-device registration fees.” The change would allow new entrants to bid, and bring new broadband applications to consumers, Google said. Essentially, the company suggests using computer technology to provide spectrum on an as-needed basis, each time the XMIT button is pressed on a radio. Charges would be based on power output and transmit time, as one example. Unlimited use payment models might also be considered, the company said. The proposal apparently has the support of Frontline Wireless, a company that has proposed a nationwide public safety network. Download (pdf) Google’s letter to the FCC here.