Google is set to launch a multi-billion dollar bid for federal government-auctioned wireless airwaves, it has been reported by Associated Press.A sum totalling as much as $4.6 billion (2.3 billion pounds) could be initiated by the search engine as it seeks to secure the airwaves and lease a percentage out to other firms.
In a further sign of its intentions, Google has also invested in British-based firm Ubiquisys, which is a business designed to enhance wireless phone connections in UK households.
Google's desire to see the Federal Communications Commissions (FCC) provide the lease provision is based on the search engine's belief that the move will benefit customers by offering more choice on both cable and telephone-based internet access.
Commenting on the official Google blog, Chris Sacca, Google's head of special initiatives, remarked: "Today we are putting consumers' interests first and putting our money where our principles are."
The search engine would like to see the FCC enable around one-third of all airwaves under the auction so that competition in the wireless broadband internet market can increase.
An auction of the wireless airwaves could net the US Treasury a sum of around $20 billion (10 billion pounds) and will more than likely take place early in 2008.
