Request for Confidential Treatment and Exhibit PUBLIC

1650-EX-ST-2018 Text Documents

Google

2018-09-21ELS_216490

                                                                     PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                Google
                                                                              File No. 1650­EX­ST­2018


Date:          September 21, 2018

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 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 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 six months. The STA is
           needed to test the transmission of broadband data to mobile devices from fixed
           locations. The dates and location of the proposed testing are as follows:



                                                                Request for Confidential Treatment ­ Page 1


                                                          PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                     Google
                                                                   File No. 1650­EX­ST­2018


    Dates                                 Location
    October 15, 2018 - April 15, 2019     Philadelphia, PA

    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
    25 Massachusetts Avenue NW            10th Floor
    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               Transmitter #1: [REDACTED]
                           Transmitter #2: [REDACTED]
    Area of Operation      Operation not to exceed 10 km from the following
                           geographic centerpoint:

                               ●   39° 56’ 37” N, 75° 09’ 44” W


    Frequency                           Low (MHz)                     High (MHz)
    [REDACTED]                            3550                             3650




                                                     Request for Confidential Treatment ­ Page 2


                                                                          PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                    Google
                                                                                  File No. 1650­EX­ST­2018


            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 (CBSDs)

                Radio             Modulation      Emission Bandwidth              Max     Max ERP
                                                 Designator  (MHz)               Output    (kW)1
                                                                                Power (W)
                [REDACTED]            LTE        10M0W7D             10               10            0.031
                                    (OFDM)
                [REDACTED]            LTE        20M0W7D             20               20            0.062
                                    (OFDM)

             Transmitter #2: Mobile (End User Devices)

                Radio             Modulation      Emission Bandwidth              Max     Max ERP
                                                 Designator  (MHz)               Output    (kW)2
                                                                                Power (W)
                [REDACTED]            LTE        10M0F9W             10               2           0.00012
                                    (OFDM)
                [REDACTED]            LTE        20M0F9W             20               4           0.00024
                                    (OFDM)

           [REDACTED]

               [REDACTED]




1 The combination of conducted power and antenna gain will comply at all times with the 47 dBm per 10
MHz limit for CBSDs in 47 C.F.R. § 96.41.
2 The combination of conducted power and antenna gain will comply at all times with the 23 dBm per 10
MHz limit for End User Devices in 47 C.F.R. § 96.41.
                                                                    Request for Confidential Treatment ­ Page 3


                                                                        PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                   Google
                                                                                 File No. 1650­EX­ST­2018


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 September 21, 2018. For
additional information, please see File No. 1650-EX-ST-2018.



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
clarified that confidential treatment should be afforded to trade secrets.3 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



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
                                                                                File No. 1650­EX­ST­2018


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
“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
                                                                              File No. 1650­EX­ST­2018


       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 6


                                                                   PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                            Google
                                                                          File No. 1650­EX­ST­2018


                   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 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 six months. The STA is needed
to test the transmission of broadband data to mobile devices from fixed locations. The dates and
location of the proposed testing are as follows:

           Dates                                Location
           October 15, 2018 - April 15, 2019    Philadelphia, PA

       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
           25 Massachusetts Avenue NW           10th Floor
           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               Transmitter #1: [REDACTED]
                           Transmitter #2: [REDACTED]
    Area of Operation      Operation not to exceed 10 km from the following geographic
                           centerpoint:

                              ●   39° 56’ 37” N, 75° 09’ 44” W



                                                                            STA Justification ­ Page 1


                                                                       PUBLIC REDACTED VERSION

                                                                                                   Google
                                                                                 File No. 1650­EX­ST­2018


    Frequency                                  Low (MHz)                         High (MHz)
    [REDACTED]                                    3550                               3650

 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 (CBSDs)

    Radio               Modulation     Emission          Bandwidth     Max Output           Max ERP
                                       Designator          (MHz)       Power (W)             (kW)1
    [REDACTED]         LTE (OFDM)       10M0W7D             10              10                0.031
    [REDACTED]         LTE (OFDM)       20M0W7D             20              20                0.062

 Transmitter #2: Mobile (End User Devices)

    Radio               Modulation     Emission          Bandwidth     Max Output           Max ERP
                                       Designator          (MHz)       Power (W)             (kW)2
    [REDACTED]         LTE (OFDM)       10M0F9W             10               2               0.00012
    [REDACTED]         LTE (OFDM)       20M0F9W             20               4               0.00024


[REDACTED]

       [REDACTED]




1 The combination of conducted power and antenna gain will comply at all times with the 47 dBm per 10
MHz limit for CBSDs in 47 C.F.R. § 96.41.
2 The combination of conducted power and antenna gain will comply at all times with the 23 dBm per 10
MHz limit for End User Devices in 47 C.F.R. § 96.41.
                                                                                   STA Justification ­ Page 2



Document Created: 2018-12-07 01:55:50
Document Modified: 2018-12-07 01:55:50

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