Google convinced the media last week that losing the 700Mhz auction was actually a win, given they got the well-lobbied FCC to enact some loosely worded "open-access" conditions AT&T & Verizon lawyers will sidestep with minimal effort. Before the public could realize that losing wasn't winning -- Google today held a conference call with reporters to claim they'll have white space broadband devices in consumer hands before the end of 2009.

The FCC recently began (pdf) another round of "White Space" broadband testing on January 24 after a prototype device failed to detect and avoid nearby transmissions during the first round. A six-partner coalition (including Microsoft, Google and Dell) named the Wireless Innovation Alliance wants to use the so-called "white space" spectrum -- partially freed by the migration to digital television -- to offer un-served consumers cheap Internet access via the airwaves.

A working product is obviously the first step to that goal, and so far they've been unable to produce one. Google, who this morning called the technology "Wi-Fi on steroids," insists that the finished products should be able to detect and avoid nearby transmissions, and in a new filing with the FCC (pdf), offer a slew of new proposals aimed at addressing interference concerns from everyone from NAB to the NFL (who worry about mic interference):It's doubtful that the provisions will placate NAB, who've been very vocal opponents of the plans because of the possible competitive threat posed by a new content delivery mechanism. Most of this conversation is moot until the FCC testing shows that the devices actually work. The FCC recently extended their recent round of tests, which were originally supposed to be completed by now.