Google and Government Cozying Up? Check lobby money

Friday, Google announces that it is going to compete aggressively for the "open access" mobile cell space, proposed by the FCC. According to the NY Times today, two weeks ago Rep. Edward Markey a dem from Massachussetts, led a House hearing into opening this space up. And, last week the FCC chairman shared a draft proposal with his commissioners that would require those competing for the open access space to be open to all hardware devices and software applications made available by independent (not telecom companies) providers. It is painfully hard to believe that this is coincidence. It is worrisome, indeed, to speculate on the role of Google and its money behind the scenes. And, it is hard to believe that it isn't there big time!

I don't, as a rule, look for or speculate on backroom deals, but this is too much coincidence. Google is about to try to change the telecom landscape, and I would bet that they are doing everything possible to have it work for them. It is just sad -- still another time -- still when pork and behind-the-scenes deals are the name of the game in Washington -- to get the gut feeling that Google and the Government are cozying up. Google is beginning to move very fast in a lot of areas. They needs watching. They may need controlling. Check out this article on mobile phones in the NYT; it isn't exactly on this theme, but it doesn't take a genius to guess at what is going on.