Google, the world’s largest search engine, and one of the biggest internet brands,is understood to be eyeing opportunities in the third generation of mobile telephony, or 3G, in India.
Sources in the industry say Google is looking at broadband wireless access(BWA) in the country and may participate in the auction with an Indian partner. BWA ia also known as Worldwide interoperability for Microwave Access, or WiMAX.

As an alternative, google coule be just a technology partner to a telecom service provider. Foreign companies can buy upto 74% equity in such a venture. A spokesperson for Google in India, when contacted, said the company would not comment on speculation.

The Department of Telecommunication(DoT), is offering spectrums both for 3G as well as BWA and hopes to auction spectrum by the first half of the current year. It finalised the information memorendum last week. Google is not new for mobile telephony. It shook the world two years ago by announcing that it would bid for the US government’s auction of radio frequencies that could be used to deliver the next generation of internet and mobile phone services. The company’s plan was to provide a nationwide wireless broadband service that would take on digital subscriber line service and cable internet access. However, it lost out in the auction as incumbent telecom behemoths like AT&T and Verizonstole a march.

Analtsts say there are many reasons for Google to look at 3G. “With the wave of consumers adopting BWA as the likely scenario in India, it is expected to bring about a shift in the focus in the advertisement revenue from fixed line internet to mobile to mobile internet. Searchled advertisement is the biggest of all in online business, and Google is the natural stakeholder in the Indian BWA space,” says AlokShende, principal analysts, Ascentius Consulting.

Others cite other reasons. “Google wants to create a global space in wireless internet since mobile subscribers outnumber internet users. In India, 3G subscribers will out do WiMAX users, given these estimates, it makes sence for Google to bid for 3G spectrum,” says a telecom analysts, who did not widhed to be named. Google has also submitted a proposal to regulators in the US for clearance to use unused channels, which the company calls Wi-fi 2.0 and on which it is possible to offer wireless broadband serices at very high speeds. The BWA spectrum to be put up for auction by DoT will be in the frequency of 2.5 GHz, with a base price of Rs 1,750 crore for a pan-India licence.

The government will auction twho blocks in BWA spectrum and reserve one for state owned Mahanagar Telephone nigam in Mumbai and Delhi, and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd elsewhere. spectrum in the 2.5 GHz for BWA will also be auctioned after the outstanding issues of interferance with the mobile system of department of space are resolved.