Google testing new wireless network, asks FCC to keep details secret

Google is building a wireless network at its headquarters in Mountain View, California, using spectrum owned by Clearwire that's suitable for LTE cellular deployments. The project is described in an application to the Federal Communications Commission, but many of the details are secret. In a letter accompanying the application, Google "respectfully requests confidential treatment."

"Google has not made the information subject to this request available to the public or to any third parties, does not routinely disclose such commercially sensitive information to the public or to third parties, and has established procedures to protect such information internally," the company wrote.

So what's going on? What details we know are in Google's application for an experimental license and a two-paragraph description accompanying it. "Google plans to test up to 50 base stations and 200 user devices," wireless engineer Steven Crowley wrote yesterday in a blog post summarizing the application. "Base stations will be indoors and outdoors, with the range of each 100-200 meters, and 500-1000 meters, respectively. Both directional and non-directional antennas will be used. The experiment is to take place within a two-mile radius, so this is a quite dense network, which could have very high capacity for carrying data."

Google requests use of frequencies 2524-2546 and 2567-2625 MHz, which are used by Clearwire for mobile broadband. “The only reason to use these frequencies is if you have business designs on some mobile service,” Crowley told the Wall Street Journal. Google has not revealed the output power of the devices used in the test, though, deeming the information "not applicable" in the application form. That "doesn’t make sense," Crowley wrote. "The power is a fundamental quantity that should be disclosed so others may independently assess the potential for interference from the experiment to their services. FCC staff should ask Google to supply this information."

The types of base stations and end-user devices used in the tests are also confidential.

Google, of course, has become an Internet provider with Google Fiber in Kansas City. There have also been rumors that Google is talking to Dish Network about offering cellular service. And just days ago, Dish offered to buy Clearwire, whose spectrum Google is using in this test.

Google's previous requests for experimental licenses have used unlicensed frequencies such as those in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands used by Wi-Fi. "This appears to be Google’s first experimental radio application using mobile broadband bands," Crowley wrote.