Work Boxers

Net Neutrality, Google, Sprint, WiMax, Xohm

by Mark on October 4th, 2007

Really? This is some package, to me. If you don’t, I do, find it very interesting to put this complete scenario together in my mind.

First is the Teamsters announcement of their support for Net Neutrality, “Hoffa Urges Senate to Act on Net Neutrality to Protect Freedom of Speech,” pointed to by Matt Stoller. “Kovie” offered a plum in his/her comment at Matt’s entry about Sprint and their new broadband internet wireless technology, “Xohm.” Kovie’s understanding of Xohm was that “because it’s proprietary, they (Sprint) could use [it] to control web usage” meaning that Sprint would be running the technology from “end to end” and of course, the assumption that there would be ultimate control.

Lest we forget, in the Teamsters’ announcement we are reminded that AT&T has reserved the “right” to cancel or suspend anyone’s internet service simply for an opposing viewpoint of AT&T to which Jim Hoffa pronounced, rightfully so, “When corporations control communications and the ability to appeal to the public for justice, workers will ultimately lose.”

All of which led me to do some digging at Google. I found this: Xohm: Sprint’s New Wimax which then led me to this: Google, Sprint team on WiMax mobile services and a puzzle began to come together. (Hey, I’m just “everyday, run-of-the-mill citizen, ya’ know?)

From PC World;

“We are pursuing a new business model that is Internet-based, not telecom-based, and therefore will establish a new service brand,” to be called Xohm, said Sprint spokesman John Polivka, in an e-mail to Computerworld.”

A “new service brand” eh?

Polivka said Sprint’s pact with Google Inc., announced in July, to collaborate on Internet services over the new WiMax network “is a significant proof point of [our] Internet strategy, and it is our intent to be not just a portal but a destination as we mobilize the Internet.”

Not just a portal but a destination eh? AND - with Google!

“In addition to the Google collaboration, Sprint and Clearwire Corp. announced an agreement July 19 to build the Wimax network in the U.S. The two companies said they plan to reach 100 million U.S. customers by the end of 2008, including businesses, consumers, government and public safety agencies.”

100 Million? That’s energetic…

From Computer World;

“As part of its strategy to increase its presence in as many Web-enabled mobile devices as possible, Google Inc. has agreed to collaborate with Sprint Nextel Corp. to offer a range of Internet services to users of the U.S. operator’s planned new WiMax network.

The two companies announced an agreement on Thursday to bring Google services, including search, e-mail, calendaring and social networking, to customers of Sprint’s wireless broadband network, slated to launch in early 2008.”

It gets better…

“It’s an absolute no-brainer” for Google to increase its presence in the wireless sector by working with as many operators as possible and helping them customize services,” said Andy Buss, principle analyst with Canalys.com Ltd. “But Google is looking to become an operator in its own right.”

An operator in its own right? Hmmmm…

Buss pointed to Google’s interest in acquiring spectrum in the U.S.

“It would be good for Google to control its own platform,” he said. “They need to make some risk-sharing investments in the underlying networks to have a say in how they’re architectured and developed.”

That’s right! There’s still an upcoming auction! This - Mr. Cleland - is beginning to feel like real competition!

Tags: broadband-competition, federal-communications-commission, Google, net-neutrality, Sprint-WiMax, Xohm

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POSTED IN: Web News