A "Third" national broadband pipe? Try an eighth!

I keep shaking my head in disbelief when the Google camp breathlessly claims that the 700 MHz is the last opportunity to create a true "third broadband pipe?"

• This is a common trick in politics -- to completely ignore reality and facts, and create ones own "alternate reality," which suits one's political and corporate agenda.

The much ballyhooed proposal in the 700 MHz auction for an "open access license" (whatever that endlessly evolving term means) claims to be all about Government creating a "third broadband pipe?"

Hello???!!!

• The marketplace is already delivering many more competitive broadband pipes now! FIVE of them -- way ahead of when this Google-camp experiment may deliver in several years time.

Let's come down to earth folks.

• This so-called "open access license" in the 700 Mhz auction won't even be auctioned until 2008, not available until 2009 and it will take years to build out and attract users.

The Google camp conveniently ignores the truth of what the marketplace is delivering TODAY.

• They completely ignore the fact that market forces are already creating a 4G broadband pipe ahead of theirs, which will be several years ahead of the Google-tagged license --
• Sprint and Clearwire have a twenty year agreement to offer a national WiMax network and have agreed to allow Google access to its platform with no regulation needed.
• T-Mobile is seeking to leverage the United States' largest in the world network of open WiFi hotspots to leverage its national broadband network.
• Private equity firms bought Alltel and are investing to deliver broadband pipes with a particular focus on rural areas.
• Verizon has invested billions and leads the US market in wireless broadband additions so far.
• And AT&T is the largest wireless provider, the exclusive provider of the innovative iPhone, and is rapidly and continually building out its wireless broadband network.

The point here is that the free market is already delivering FIVE more broadband pipes nationally over time that are in the market serving customers wireless broadband customers -- years ahead of the supposed Google-camp "third" broadband pipe.

• How can a network that is on the drawing board, with no spectrum, no network, and no experience be dubbed the "third broadband pipe" when there are FIVE other networks already in existence that only get faster, better, and more flexible every day?
• The market has proven far superior in delivering the technology that consumer needs than Government ever could.