A recent meeting of the Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (AFCCE) hosted Dr. Andrew Clegg from Google. He updated the group on the status of the 3550-3700 MHz Citizens Broadcast Radio Service (CBRS). Google has been an active proponent, including through work in the Wireless Innovation Forum (WinnForum), which is developing spectrum-sharing standards.
Archive for the ‘Google’ Category
Google updates engineers’ group on 3.5 GHz CBRS
Wednesday, February 15th, 2017Google files with FCC for nationwide airborne millimeter-wave testing
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2015On November 24 Google filed an application with the FCC for a two-year experimental license to conduct nationwide testing in the 71-76 and 81-86 GHz millimeter-wave bands. The application consists of a form and supporting exhibit. As is usual with Google, the version of the exhibit made available to the public is redacted, but there’s enough there to infer that that this involves high-altitude airborne testing – perhaps connected to Project Loon or to solar-powered drones emerging from Google’s Titan Aerospace acquisition.
Google files experimental applications to test in 3.5, 5.8, 24, 72, and 82 GHz bands
Tuesday, October 14th, 2014On October 13 Google filed two experimental radio applications with the FCC. The first seeks permission to test in the 3.5 GHz band in Mountain View, California and in suburban Washington D.C. The second is for testing in the 5.8, 24, 72, and 82 GHz bands in Mountain View and San Mateo County, California. The applications are redacted. Most technical detail is unavailable, but here’s what’s visible.
Google files to test millimeter-wave data with airborne terminals
Thursday, September 25th, 2014Google has applied to the FCC to conduct “airborne” testing of data over millimeter-wave frequencies in Northern Nevada. I saw the frequencies and thought this was another test of millimeter-wave radar for automatic cruise control; Google has applied to test that several times since 2011. The emission designators for the current transmissions, however, contain the symbols D1D; that’s data, not radar. An application to the FCC to test millimeter-wave data is a first for Google.
Google files “confidential” application with FCC for drone tests in New Mexico
Monday, September 15th, 2014Google has filed an application with the FCC to conduct drone tests in New Mexico. The company has sought confidential treatment of its application form and exhibits. All we have to go by now is one exhibit that’s been redacted for public consumption. Google provides some detail, and we can try to infer some more.
Google files with FCC for what might be connected-car experiment
Friday, March 14th, 2014Update March 27, 2014: A few days after this application was filed, it was apparently withdrawn. The links below to the application form and exhibits no longer work, and I see no trace of the application. The essential application information is still in my original post below. I don’t know why the application was withdrawn. The application was apparently prepared by an engineer based at a Google office in Seattle. To me, it seemed incomplete in some aspects. Usually, such applications are prepared by Google’s attorneys; I speculate this caught the attorneys unaware, they didn’t like it, and they pulled the application for their review. Look for it to be recast and filed again.
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Google yesterday filed an application with the FCC for an experimental radio license that apparently involves connected-car technology. No specific location for the experiment is indicated; it’s to take place in the “Seattle and San Francisco areas.” A total of 10,000 transmitting units are involved, with 5,000 being custom experimental devices manufactured by Google, and 5,000 consisting of off-the-shelf CSR CSR8311 Bluetooth ICs, which the manufacturer describes as the “first Wideband Speech IC qualified for the automotive market” and “the first Bluetooth low energy IC ready for automotive use.” I speculate the IC will be used in combination with the Google device, for a total of 5,000 experimental radio systems. There’s only one frequency band (2402-2480 MHz) and one emission designator (1M00F1D) specified in the application; these parameters are consistent with Bluetooth, so the custom Google transmitter would seem to have Bluetooth-like emissions.
Supporting exhibits are usually filed with experimental applications. Google has done so, but designated them “not available,” presumably invoking confidentiality provisions of the FCC’s Rules. It’s standard FCC practice to have the applicant make the confidentiality request visible to the public. Google has not. Furthermore, from the exhibit descriptions, it appears Google has not even filed a confidentiality request. I expect the FCC to ask Google to do so and to make it public. If there are updates to this application, I’ll update this post.
Google files confidential experimental radio application at the FCC (updated)
Thursday, January 23rd, 2014On January 22 Google filed an experimental radio application at the FCC. The company has requested confidential treatment of the application, so significant portions aren’t publicly available.
As part of the filing, Google filed a request for confidentiality, which is public. It contains a few technical details. Two separate transmitter types are identified, both operating at low power in the range 76-77 GHz, and using FM and BPSK modulation. The 76-77 GHz band is used for short-range vehicular radar and, knowing Google’s interest in vehicles, it’s reasonable to assume that is what the experiment involves.
FCC conditionally approves Google’s ‘confidential’ Mountain View radio experiment
Thursday, March 28th, 2013Today the FCC granted Google’s application to conduct a radio experiment in Mountain View, California. When I looked at the application in January, I noted Google withheld some information it felt was confidential, and I took a crack at trying to figure out what was going on based on available information. A couple of days later, the FCC asked Google to provide additional information, and Google responded. Then things sat with no apparent activity for a couple of months.
The experimental license issued today gives Google the authority it sought: use of the 2524-2546 MHz and 2567-2625 MHz bands. In January I noted those bands might be used by Clearwire. In January the FCC asked Google if it had consent from the license holder. Google responded that it “understands that a grant will be conditioned on coordination with affected licensees, and is engaged in discussions to satisfy that obligation.”
Apparently Google hasn’t furnished such consent to the FCC, as the experimental license contains the following “special condition:”
Prior to operation, licensee must successfully coordinate with existing and future Broadband Radio Service/Educational Broadband Service (BRS/EBS) licensees or lessees (as applicable).
So, the FCC is relying on the honor system, which isn’t unusual for experimental authorizations.
Google responds to FCC request for more info about experimental radio project
Saturday, January 26th, 2013Google’s “confidential” test might be a super-dense LTE network using Clearwire’s spectrum
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013Google filed an application at the FCC last week seeking permission to conduct testing of an experimental radio system. Portions of the application and accompanying exhibits have been designated confidential and are thus not available to the public. Even the request for confidential treatment has been redacted. Let’s try to infer what’s happening from the information available.