Google is brilliant in deceiving und disguising. This was clearly demonstrated by the “hot” 700 MHz auctions in the USA when Google did not make a winning bid. Yet what should look like defeat is actually a victory. Everyone was convinced that the company would bid an outrageously huge amount – but it was only willing to bid 4.71 billion Dollars, and thereby letting Verizon win with 4.74 billion. I think this move was a rigged bid, especially if you consider that CEO Eric Schmidt helped define the auction rules for the US regulatory authority Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Google requested free access for devices and service providers, to which FCC-boss Kevin J. Martin gave in (I wonder why?). Eric Schmidt’s demands were part of the auction tender: The network must be open to every service provider and any number of devices and software may be used. According to AFP, Google gave the following first follow-up: “although Google did not place a winning bid, it was an important victory for the American consumer”. Even though Google did not receive the frequency-licenses, it is allowed to use the network and run its services over it.