In a move that seems like a good thing for consumers, and most certainly for companies like Google and many others that are on the outside of the closed US mobile environment, Google has told the Federal Communications Commision (FCC) that it will commit $4.6 billion to the upcoming spectrum auction if the FCC agrees to four open broadband rules.

The FCC is in the process of forming the rules for the auction of the 700 megahertz spectrum that is being freed up as television shifts to digital signals and Google has encouraged the FCC to require the adoption of four types of “open” platforms as part of the auction:

• Open applications: consumers should be able to download and utilize any software applications, content, or services they desire;
• Open devices: consumers should be able to utilize their handheld communications device with whatever wireless network they prefer;
• Open services: third parties (resellers) should be able to acquire wireless services from a 700 MHz licensee on a wholesale basis, based on reasonably nondiscriminatory commercial terms; and
• Open networks: third parties (like Internet service providers) should be able to interconnect at any technically feasible point in a 700 MHz licensee’s wireless network.

The FCC is currently considering draft rules for the auction, and the reports are that they include some of the openness conditions that Google is proposing.

To encourage the FCC to include all the rules, Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt today sent a letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, saying that, should the FCC adopt all four license conditions requested above, Google intends to commit at least $4.6 billion to bidding for spectrum in the upcoming 700 Mhz auction.

As much as I have trouble with Google getting more power, I think breaking the carrier’s closed wall wireless networks is a good thing. I want an open broadband platform.