Request for Confidential Treatment and Exhibit PUBLIC

1615-EX-ST-2017 Text Documents

Google LLC

2017-11-08ELS_200934

                                                                       PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                          Google LLC
                                                                            File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


Date:          November 8, 2017

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



To Whom It May Concern:

        Google LLC (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 Special Temporary Authority (STA) 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 STA 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 LLC (Google) outlines below its need for the requested Special Temporary
           Authority (STA) and the compelling reasons why this STA should be granted
           expeditiously.




                                                         Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 1


                                                            PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                Google LLC
                                                                  File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


       Google requests that the STA be granted for a period of 20 days beginning on
February 1, 2018. The STA is needed to test the transmission of broadband data
from vehicles to transportable/fixed base stations located nearby.

       The dates and location of the proposed testing are as follows:

    Dates                                      Location
    February 1-February 20, 2018               Daytona Beach, Florida

      Should any interference be reported, the proposed tests will cease
immediately unless and until the interference is resolved to the satisfaction of the
complainant.

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

    Legal Contact                               Technical Contact
    Sybil Anne Strimbu                          Dr. Andrew Clegg
    Legal Specialist                            1875 Explorer Street, 10th Floor
    25 Massachusetts Avenue NW, 9th 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]
    Dates and Area of Operation        Operation not to exceed 3 km from the
                                       following geographic centerpoint:

                                           ●   February 1-February 20, 2018
                                               29° 11’ 07” N, 81° 04’ 14” W



    Frequency                                       Low (MHz)           High (MHz)
    [REDACTED]                                         3400                 3600




                                               Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 2


                                                                       PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                          Google LLC
                                                                            File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


             Antenna Details

               Antennas                              [REDACTED]
               Type                                  Directional panels & omnidirectional
                                                     verticals
               Gain                                  0 - 17 dBi
               Beam Width at Half-Power Point        30 - 360
               Orientation in Horizontal Plane       Various (0-360 azimuth)
               Orientation in Vertical Plane         Various (+10 to -45)

             Transmitter #1: Transportable/Fixed

               Radio           Modulation      Emission Bandwidth Max Output Max ERP
                                              Designator  (MHz)   Power (W)   (kW)1
               [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)           10M0W7D            10           20         0.122
               [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)           20M0W7D            20           40         0.244
               [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)           40M0W7D            40           80         0.487
               [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)           80M0W7D            80         160          0.976

             Transmitter #2: Mobile

               Radio           Modulation      Emission Bandwidth Max Output Max ERP
                                              Designator  (MHz)   Power (W)   (kW)2
               [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)           10M0F9W            10           2         0.0012
               [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)           20M0F9W            20           4         0.0024
               [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)           40M0F9W            40           8         0.0049
               [REDACTED] LTE (OFDM)           80M0F9W            80           16        0.0098




1 Because the proposed testing will not involve using the maximum output power combined with the
maximum antenna gain, the maximum ERP for the transportable/fixed transmitter was calculated based
on the maximum output power and a 10 dBi antenna gain.
2 The maximum ERP for the mobile transmitter was calculated based on no antenna gain (0 dBi).

                                                         Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 3


                                                                           PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                               Google LLC
                                                                                 File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


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

        The above-referenced Exhibit was submitted to the Commission in support of the STA.
The Exhibit was filed with the Office of Engineering and Technology on November 8, 2017. For
additional information, please see File No. 1615-EX-ST-2017.


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 STA tests/experiments may include trade secret information. The Commission has
                                                                        3
clarified that confidential treatment should be afforded to trade secrets. 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 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.

3 Examination of Current Policy Concerning the Treatment of Confidential Information Submitted to the
Commission, Report and Order, GC Docket No. 96-55, at para. 3, (released Aug. 4, 1998) (defining “trade
secrets” for purpose of Commission rules on confidential treatment).
                                                             Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 4


                                                                        PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                           Google LLC
                                                                             File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


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
“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 after the Commission has ruled on the Request for Confidentiality is not necessary for the
Commission to fulfill its regulatory responsibilities.




                                                          Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 5


                                                                       PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                          Google LLC
                                                                            File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


       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
Legal Specialist




                                                         Request for Confidential Treatment - Page 6


                                                                        PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                          Google LLC
                                                                            File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


                  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 LLC (Google) outlines
below its need for the requested Special Temporary Authority (STA) and the compelling reasons
why this STA should be granted expeditiously.

       Google requests that the STA be granted for a period of 20 days beginning on February
1, 2018. The STA is needed to test the transmission of broadband data from vehicles to
transportable/fixed base stations located nearby.

       The dates and location of the proposed testing are as follows:

                 Dates                            Location
                 February 1-February 20, 2018     Daytona Beach, Florida

       Should any interference be reported, the proposed tests will cease immediately unless
and until the interference is resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant.

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

    Legal Contact                               Technical Contact
    Sybil Anne Strimbu                          Dr. Andrew Clegg
    Legal Specialist                            1875 Explorer Street, 10th Floor
    25 Massachusetts Avenue NW, 9th Floor       Reston, VA 20190
    Washington, DC 20001                        (202) 370-5644
    sybil@google.com                            aclegg@google.com




                                                                              STA Justification ­ Page 1


                                                                      PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                        Google LLC
                                                                          File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


Transmitter Equipment and Station Details
 Radio Information

   Equipment                         [REDACTED]
   Quantity                          [REDACTED]
   Dates and Area of Operation       Operation not to exceed 3 km from the following
                                     geographic centerpoint:

                                        ●   February 1-February 20, 2018
                                            29° 11’ 07” N, 81° 04’ 14” W



   Frequency                                              Low (MHz)            High (MHz)
   [REDACTED]                                                  3400                3600

 Antenna Details

   Antennas                             [REDACTED]
   Type                                 Directional panels & omnidirectional verticals
   Gain                                 0 - 17 dBi
   Beam Width at Half-Power Point       30 - 360
   Orientation in Horizontal Plane      Various (0-360 azimuth)
   Orientation in Vertical Plane        Various (+10 to -45)




                                                                            STA Justification ­ Page 2


                                                                       PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                            Google LLC
                                                                              File No. 1615­EX­ST­2017


    Transmitter #1: Transportable/Fixed

      Radio             Modulation    Emission       Bandwidth      Max Output           Max ERP
                                      Designator       (MHz)        Power (W)             (kW)1
      [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM)    10M0W7D             10             20                0.122
      [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM)    20M0W7D             20             40                0.244
      [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM)    40M0W7D             40             80                0.487
      [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM)    80M0W7D             80             160               0.976

    Transmitter #2: Mobile

      Radio             Modulation    Emission       Bandwidth      Max Output           Max ERP
                                      Designator       (MHz)        Power (W)             (kW)2
      [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM)        10M0F9W         10              2               0.0012
      [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM)        20M0F9W         20              4               0.0024
      [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM)        40M0F9W         40              8               0.0049
      [REDACTED]        LTE (OFDM)        80M0F9W         80             16               0.0098




1 Because the proposed testing will not involve using the maximum output power combined with the
maximum antenna gain, the maximum ERP for the transportable/fixed transmitter was calculated based
on the maximum output power and a 10 dBi antenna gain.
2 The maximum ERP for the mobile transmitter was calculated based on no antenna gain (0 dBi).

                                                                                STA Justification ­ Page 3



Document Created: 2019-04-24 17:26:11
Document Modified: 2019-04-24 17:26:11

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