Google’s motive to buy into the wireless marketplace via the 700 MHz Spectrum Auction was an opportunity to possibly develop a 50-state network. The FCC was was auctioning 1,099 wireless licenses in the 700 MHz band, however, the C-block of 12 regional licenses is what was more attractive and could be used combine the 50-state network (Reiter, 2008). Through this new product development, Google would be allowed to become a cellular network operator in a market where AT&T and Verizon are leaders. Google would have the opportunity to compete with these two industry leaders and be able to network with other entities to create new and innovative products.

Entering into the wireless market would offer Google the prospect of potential growth, development practices and competencies which is what they would hope to accomplish. However this strategy can present many risks which include the cost of building and maintaining a billion dollar network. The growth of Gmail, Google Maps, Google Docs and Google Calendar along with other applications that can be downloaded to cell phones may have been one goal in mind that Google considered with this decision. Also, there may have been other reasons for Google’s interest in the wireless market such as YouTube’s ownership and its developments in a new website where the Java Beta application allows users to view videos via their cell phones.

Google’s support for Open Access fits into their plans perfectly. The company intends to deploy its own “experimental” fiber-optic network to at least 50,000 homes and perhaps as many as 500,000. The plan is to deliver fiber-optic speeds more than 20 times faster than residential fiber-optic services offered today in the U.S. Google’s fiber-optic network will deliver speeds of 1 gigabit-per-second. “We’re planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. We’ll deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.” This is what is written on the company’s blog. Google’s service will compete against today’s broadband services from telephone and cable companies, but will offer much higher speeds. To promote apps that will take advantage of the faster speeds, Google plans to do this on a trial basis, experiment with better ways to deploy fiber to the home and create pressure for more Open Access to broadband.

To promote broadband Wireless Internet Access, Google should leverage three of its key strengths. First the company has the aptness to organize existing research and actual deployments of a very diverse subject - Broadband Wireless Internet Access and the use of license exempt spectrum. Second is their ability to conduct research and development in relevant areas targeted to its mission. Also, Google needs this Internet access to be widely available in order for them to thrive among the competition. Finally, Google needs to encourage deployment of Broadband Wireless Internet Access using license exempt spectrum by tapping into their enormous financial resources.

Given Google’s situation, they need to protect their technological innovation by publishing their innovations. This can protect the creativity that keeps their company going. Intellectual Property (IP) has been a mainstay at Google because of their ability to deliver some of the newest and best products in the technology industry. Because of this, innovation has become a priority at the patent office and established companies need to maintain and build upon their current IP portfolios to remain contenders in the race for innovation.

Google’s core competency is their ability to acquire the value from massively scaled, complex human activity (i.e. numerous amounts of advertisers bidding on key word experimenting and millions of websites lining to each other). Another critical element of Google’s core competency is their search engine that could be considered a “natural feedback loop” of a search results page.

Google is a company that was built on some of the world’s best innovation and creativity and because of this they have a loyal customer base. If they take the right steps into this new market, they will be at the top of the technology game.

References

http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/10/google-fiber-optic-network-home/

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:SQnrivHp0FoJ:www.bwianews.com/2007/05/so_what_can_goo.html+It+looks+like+Google+wants+to+get+into+wireless,+yet+wireless+is+not+one+of+Google's+core+competencies.+What+should+Google+do+about+this%3F&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

http://www.securinginnovation.com/2010/01/articles/defensive-publishing/how-to-protect-your-intellectual-property/

http://seekingalpha.com/article/31587-google-s-core-competency-may-not-transfer-to-offline-media