Mountain View, Calif. - Even as its stock fell sharply on Friday following weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings, Google said that it will spend at least $4.6 billion in the federal government's upcoming auction of wireless spectrum if the FCC agrees to certain rules that could spur more broadband competition.

In a filing with the FCC on July 9, Google urged the FCC to require the adoption of four types of "open" platforms as part of the license conditions, which the company said would best serve consumers' interests.

The company has argued that such conditions are necessary to prevent a small group of telephone and cable giants from simply outbidding smaller rivals, while spurring additional competition from software applications providers, content providers, handset makers and ISPs.

In a letter sent Friday to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Google CEO Eric Schmidt said that should the FCC adopt his company's requests, "Google intends to commit a minimum of $4.6 billion to bidding in the upcoming auction."

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http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20070720_wireless.html