Request for Confidential Treatment and Exhibit PUBLIC

1357-EX-ST-2019 Text Documents

Google LLC

2019-07-25ELS_234686

                                                                      PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                 Google
                                                                               File No. 1357-EX-ST-2019


Date:          July 25, 2019

Subject:       Public and Redacted Versions of Request for Confidential Treatment and
               Complementary Exhibit



To Whom It May Concern:

        Google, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 552 and Sections 0.457 and 0.459 of the Commission's
Rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.457, 0.459, hereby requests that certain information complementary to its
above-referenced application for extension of Special Temporary Authority (STA Extension) be
treated as confidential and not subject to public inspection. The designated information
constitutes confidential and proprietary information that, if subject to public disclosure, would
cause significant commercial, economic, and competitive harm. As described below, Google’s
request satisfies the standards for grant of such requests set forth in Sections 0.457 and 0.459
of the Commission’s Rules.

        In accordance with Section 0.459(b) and in support of this request, Google provides the
following information:


1.      Identification of the Information for Which Confidential Treatment is Sought:

        Google’s request for confidential treatment is limited to the following information that has
been redacted from the requested STA Extension and complementary exhibit (Exhibit). Google
does not seek to withhold from public inspection information necessary for interference
mitigation, including applicant name, contact information, test location, frequency, output power,
effective radiated power, emission characteristics and modulation.



        Exhibit - Special Temporary Authority Justification:

        Google requests confidential treatment of the following underlined text that contains
        confidential and proprietary information regarding the proposed tests/experiments:



           Narrative Statement

                  Consistent with the standards set forth in Section 5.61 of the Federal
           Communications Commission’s (FCC’s or Commission’s) Rules, 47 C.F.R. § 5.61,
           Google outlines below its need for the requested extension of Special Temporary
           Authority (STA Extension) and the compelling reasons why this request should be
           granted expeditiously.



                                                                 Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 1


                                                                  PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                             Google
                                                                           File No. 1357-EX-ST-2019


                Google requests that the STA Extension be granted for a period of 180 days.
         Consistent with Call Sign WN9XVT (File No. 0017-EX-ST-2019), the STA Extension
         is needed to allow for continued emissions from [REDACTED], and [REDACTED].
         [REDACTED].1

                 As noted, Google has been conducting tests under Call Sign WN9XVT (File
         No. 0017-EX-ST-2019), and no disruptions have been noted. Should any
         interference be reported, the proposed tests will cease immediately unless and until
         the interference is resolved to the satisfaction of the protected complainant.

               The proposed experimental operations accordingly will continue to be
         conducted without harmful interference to other authorized users. For the foregoing
         reasons, Google requests approval of this STA Extension.

                Legal Contact                         Technical Contact
                Sybil Anne Strimbu                    Dr. Andrew Clegg
                Legal Specialist                      1875 Explorer Street
                25 Massachusetts Avenue NW            Tenth Floor
                Ninth Floor                           Reston, VA 20190
                Washington, DC 20001                  (202) 370-5644
                sybil@google.com                      aclegg@google.com


         Transmitter Equipment and Station Details
           Radio Information

                Equipment           [REDACTED]
                Quantity            [REDACTED]
                Area of Operation   Operation [REDACTED] will not exceed 1 km from the
                                    following geographic centerpoint:

                                        ●   32° 54’ 35” N, 117° 10’ 55” W
                Frequency           3650-3700 MHz




1 [REDACTED].

                                                             Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 2


                                                                         PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                   Google
                                                                                 File No. 1357-EX-ST-2019


             Antenna Details

                Antennas                              [REDACTED]
                Type                                  Directional panels & omnidirectional
                                                      verticals
                Gain                                  0 - 6 dBi
                Beam Width at Half-Power Point 90 - 360
                Orientation in Horizontal Plane       Various (0-360 azimuth)
                Orientation in Vertical Plane         Various (+10 to -45)

             Transmitter #1: [REDACTED] (Transportable/Fixed)

                Radio            Modulation      Emission Bandwidth              Max     Max ERP
                                                Designator  (MHz)               Output    (W)2
                                                                               Power (W)
                [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)            20M0W7D            20                1            0.61

             Transmitter #2: [REDACTED] (Mobile)

                Radio             Modulation     Emission Bandwidth               Max     Max ERP
                                                 Designator (MHz)                Output    (W)3
                                                                                Power (W)
                [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM) 20M0F9W                 20              0.2           0.12



2.     Identification of the Commission proceeding in which the information was
       submitted or a description of the circumstances giving rise to the submission.

       The confidential Exhibit was submitted to the Commission in support of the requested
STA Extension. The Exhibit was filed with the Office of Engineering and Technology on July 25,
2019. For additional information, please see File No. 1357-EX-ST-2019.




2 No combination of conducted power and antenna gain will be used that will result in a [REDACTED]
ERP that exceeds the listed value.
3 No combination of conducted power and antenna gain will be used that will result in an [REDACTED]
ERP that exceeds the listed value.
                                                                   Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 3


                                                                         PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                    Google
                                                                                  File No. 1357-EX-ST-2019


3.      Explanation of the degree to which the information is commercial or financial or
        contains a trade secret or is privileged.

        The information requested to be kept confidential has significant commercial value. The
details of the requested STA Extension include trade secret information. The Commission has
clarified that confidential treatment should be afforded to trade secrets.4 Google’s
tests/experiments and proprietary wireless applications using particular radio frequency
equipment represent a “secret commercially valuable plan” within the meaning of a trade secret
as recognized by the Commission.

        In addition, agreements entered into between Google and any parties that provided
equipment for testing or will provide analysis of test results require that confidential information
of the parties be held in strict confidence, and that such information not be disclosed to any third
party (with limited exceptions not applicable to this request). The manufacturer name and model
number constitutes confidential trade secrets, technical information, and business information
under the agreements.



4.      Explanation of the degree to which the information concerns a service that is
        competitive.

        The services and technologies that are the subject of this STA Extension request have
not yet been fully developed but are expected to lead to material developments in markets
subject to competition from multiple U.S. and non-U.S. third parties.



5.      Explanation of how disclosure of the information could result in substantial
        competitive harm.

        The technology under development is highly sensitive and confidential in nature. The
release of such information would provide valuable insight into Google’s technology innovations
and potential business plans and strategies. Public disclosure would jeopardize the value of the
technology under examination by enabling others to utilize Google’s information to develop
similar products in a similar time frame.



6.      Identification of any measures taken by the requesting party to prevent
        unauthorized disclosure.

        Google has taken steps to keep confidential the information set forth in the confidential
Exhibit by limiting the number of people involved in the tests/experiments to only those on a


4 In the Matter of Examination of Current Policy Concerning the Treatment of Confidential Information
Submitted to the Commission, Report and Order, 13 FCC Rcd. 24816, ¶ 3 (1998) (defining “trade secrets”
for the purpose of Commission rules on confidential treatment).
                                                                    Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 4


                                                                       PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                  Google
                                                                                File No. 1357-EX-ST-2019


“need to know” basis, and by requiring any third parties involved in the testing process to
execute robust nondisclosure agreements.



7.     Identification of whether the information is available to the public and the extent of
       any previous disclosures of the information to any third parties.

       The information contained in the confidential Exhibit is not available to the public, and
has only been disclosed to third parties pursuant to restrictive safeguards.

         Google voluntarily provides the information to the Commission at this time with the
expectation that it will be treated confidentially in accordance with the Commission's rules. See
Critical Mass Energy Project v. Nuclear Regulatory Comm’n, 975 F.2d 871, 879 (D.C. Cir. 1992)
(commercial information provided on a voluntary basis “is ‘confidential’ for the purpose of
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Exemption 4 if it is of a kind that would customarily not be
released to the public by the person from whom it was obtained.”).



8.     Justification of the requested period of confidentiality.

        Google expects that confidential treatment will be necessary for the length of the
proposed experiment and thereafter in order to protect its evolving business and technology
strategies.



9.     Any other information that would be useful in assessing whether this request
       should be submitted.

        The information subject to this request for confidentiality should not be made available
for public disclosure at any time. There is nothing material that public review of this information
would add to the Commission’s analysis of Google’s request for an experimental authorization.

      Moreover, public disclosure of the sensitive information in the confidential Exhibit to the
STA Extension request after the Commission has ruled on the Request for Confidentiality is not
necessary for the Commission to fulfill its regulatory responsibilities.

       Consistent with 47 C.F.R. § 0.459(d)(l), Google requests notification if release of the
information subject to this request is requested pursuant to the FOIA or otherwise, so that
Google may have an opportunity to oppose grant of any such request.

Sincerely yours,




Sybil Anne Strimbu

                                                                  Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 5


                                                                   PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                            Google
                                                                          File No. 1357-EX-ST-2019


                  EXHIBIT - SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY JUSTIFICATION

Narrative Statement

        Consistent with the standards set forth in Section 5.61 of the Federal Communications
Commission’s (FCC’s or Commission’s) Rules, 47 C.F.R. § 5.61, Google outlines below its need
for the requested extension of Special Temporary Authority (STA Extension) and the compelling
reasons why this request should be granted expeditiously.

       Google requests that the STA Extension be granted for a period of 180 days. Consistent
with Call Sign WN9XVT (File No. 0017-EX-ST-2019), the STA Extension is needed to allow for
continued emissions from [REDACTED], and [REDACTED]. [REDACTED].1

        As noted, Google has been conducting tests under Call Sign WN9XVT (File No.
0017-EX-ST-2019), and no disruptions have been noted. Should any interference be reported,
the proposed tests will cease immediately unless and until the interference is resolved to the
satisfaction of the protected complainant.

       The proposed experimental operations accordingly will continue to be conducted without
harmful interference to other authorized usersFor the foregoing reasons, Google requests
approval of this STA Extension.

           Legal Contact                        Technical Contact
           Sybil Anne Strimbu                   Dr. Andrew Clegg
           Legal Specialist                     1875 Explorer Street
           25 Massachusetts Avenue NW           Tenth Floor
           Ninth Floor                          Reston, VA 20190
           Washington, DC 20001                 (202) 370-5644
           sybil@google.com                     aclegg@google.com




1 [REDACTED].

                                                                          STA Justification - Page 1


                                                                       PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                  Google
                                                                                File No. 1357-EX-ST-2019


Transmitter Equipment and Station Details
 Radio Information

    Equipment                [REDACTED]
    Quantity                 [REDACTED]
    Area of Operation        Operation [REDACTED] will not exceed 1 km from the following
                             geographic centerpoint:

                                ●   32° 54’ 35” N, 117° 10’ 55” W
    Frequency                3650-3700 MHz

 Antenna Details

    Antennas                               [REDACTED]
    Type                                   Directional panels & omnidirectional verticals
    Gain                                   0 - 6 dBi
    Beam Width at Half-Power Point 90 - 360
    Orientation in Horizontal Plane        Various (0-360 azimuth)
    Orientation in Vertical Plane          Various (+10 to -45)

 Transmitter #1: [REDACTED] (Transportable/Fixed)

    Radio               Modulation     Emission        Bandwidth       Max Output          Max ERP
                                       Designator        (MHz)         Power (W)             (W)2
    [REDACTED]         LTE (OFDM)      20M0W7D             20               1                 0.61

 Transmitter #2: [REDACTED] (Mobile)

    Radio               Modulation     Emission        Bandwidth       Max Output          Max ERP
                                       Designator        (MHz)         Power (W)             (W)3
    [REDACTED]         LTE (OFDM)       20M0F9W            20              0.2                0.12




2 No combination of conducted power and antenna gain will be used that will result in a [REDACTED]
ERP that exceeds the listed value.
3 No combination of conducted power and antenna gain will be used that will result in an [REDACTED]
ERP that exceeds the listed value.
                                                                                 STA Justification - Page 2



Document Created: 2019-08-28 11:09:07
Document Modified: 2019-08-28 11:09:07

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