Google could announce its intention to bid on that sweet, unused spectrum as early as later today, according to the WSJ. We’ve all pretty much assumed Google was going to do so, especially in light of Android, but at least we now have a date. The auction is scheduled to take place on January 24 and the FCC imposed a December 3 deadline for companies to announce their intention to bid.

A Google cellphone network, subsidized by ads and using Android phones? Yeah, that might work, especially if the phones aren’t the usual, “Oh, you want an unlocked phone? That’ll be $999, please.”

Google ready to bid on mobile airwaves: report [Reuters because the WSJ article is for subscribers only]