Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are recognized for their efforts at the conclusion of the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, September 22, 2006.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

    BEIJING,May 22 (Xinhuanet) -- Google filed a proposal on Monday with the Federal Communications Commission calling on the agency to let companies allocate radio spectrum using the same kind of real-time auction that the search engine company now uses to sell advertisements.

    ¡°The driving reason we¡¯re doing this is that there are not enough broadband options for consumers,¡± said Adam Kovacevich, a spokesman for Google¡¯s policy office in Washington. ¡°In general, it¡¯s the belief of a lot of people in the company that spectrum is allocated in an inefficient manner.¡±

    In their proposal, Google executives argue that by permitting companies to resell the airwaves in a real-time auction would make it possible to greatly improve spectrum use and simultaneously create a robust market for innovative digital services. For instance, a company could resell its spectrum on an as-needed basis to other providers, the executives said in their formal proposal to the federal agency.

    The proposal is for the wholesale auction of spectrum. However, in the future such a system might require that advanced computing technology be built into wireless handsets and computers to automate the auction bidding process and permit it to take place without users noticing.

    The Google proposal states that such a system would reduce retail prices for wireless spectrum and extend Internet access into rural areas not now served by existing providers.

    (Agencies)