NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Google will enter an upcoming auction for a wireless spectrum, which, if it wins, would allow the search giant to join cable and phone companies as a third provider of local internet access and cellular phone service.
The company posted an official notice of its entrance on its public-policy blog: "We see the upcoming 700 megahertz spectrum auction at the Federal Communications Commission as one of the best opportunities consumers will have to enjoy more choices in the world of wireless devices."
No 'locked' phones
Over the summer, Google appealed the FCC to impose four conditions on the auction's bidders and the agency approved two of those. Those bidding on the auction will be required to allow consumers to run any program they want on their cellphones, effectively barring carriers from "locking" phones. Bidders will also be required to offer open device standards so consumers can switch carriers without having to switch handsets.
Earlier this week, Verizon, which is also expected to bid for the spectrum, made an announcement that met with the two requirements: It will allow Americans to pick new phones, ringtones, games and other applications to run on its network -- even if they didn't buy them from Verizon.
Because two of Google's requests were not met, it wasn't clear if the search giant would enter the auction, since the FCC did not agree to open up the network as wide as Google wanted. The FCC decided not to require that those bidding on the spectrum let third parties acquire new wireless services at wholesale rates, and the agency did not guarantee it wouldn't impose limits on the locations in which third parties can tap a carrier's network.
In an interview after Google's Zeitgeist event in October, co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin talked about their desire to make phones more open, much like PCs and the internet. Doing that, they believe, will help spur innovation in the wireless space and get data access to more people.
A massive opportunity
"Google obviously benefits by having more and easier access to internet. To extend wireless devices [so they] work better will benefit us and people in general. If there's any way we can accelerate that we will," said Mr. Page, who also lamented that search is "still pretty slow" on the phone. In theory the wireless space presents a massive opportunity for internet giants -- perhaps even bigger than the PC web.
While still a relatively small part of the market in the U.S., internet-enabled phones are growing globally and the number of mobile devices greatly outnumbers the number of PCs. Google's Chief Internet Evangelist Vint Cerf, speaking at Google's Analyst Day, noted there are 3 billion mobile phones in use today, compared to about 1 billion PCs.
Google's blog post, announcing the company's entry into the auction, presented an open mobile network almost as a community service: "Consumers deserve more choices and more competition than they have in the wireless world today. And at a time when so many Americans don't have access to the internet, this auction provides an unprecedented opportunity to bring the riches of the net to more people."
Google has long been a proponent of network-neutrality legislation, which would require all web traffic to be treated equally. The legislation was proposed to address the worry that the companies owning the broadband pipes -- cable and phone companies -- could essentially create a fast and slow lane for web traffic, charging content and service companies for the higher-speed delivery. Google's vying for a piece of the spectrum is also considered a hedge against that sort of scenario.
The spectrum is available thanks to the transition from analog to digital TV. The deadline for entering the bidding is Dec. 3; the auction begins Jan. 24, 2008.
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Contributing: Ira Teinowitz
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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ShareSwapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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