Google Phone Gets Closer

Not wanting to always blog about Google, but today it announced that it will apply to participate in the Federal Communications Commission's upcoming auction of wireless spectrum in the 700 megahertz (MHz) band in the US.

This brings the Google Phone one step closer following the company's Open Handset Alliance announcement earlier this month.

The spectrum announcement also says:

Advocacy by public interest groups and Google earlier this year helped ensure that regardless of which bidders win a key portion of the spectrum up for auction (the so-called "C Block"), they will be required to allow their users to download any software application they want on their mobile device, and to use any mobile devices they would like on that wireless network.

So at a cost of $4.6bn - the reserve price at the auction - Google will become a network operator and a such provide a Google phone, on a Google network, with a Google platform (Android).

It will be interesting to see how the Search company makes the leap to becoming a network operator if its plans come to fruition. It will also be interesting to see what impact the introduction of any Google Phone and / or Google mobile network would have on mobile advertising.

However, everyone will have to wait, with the auction not expected to finish until at least March 2008.