Search engine giant Google is seeking permission from the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to conduct tests using 3.5GHz Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum in 24 separate locations, for a period of 24 months. First reported by Business Insider, the plans will see Google conduct ‘radio experiments’ in locations such as: Atwater, Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Bruno, San Francisco, San Jose (all California); Boulder (Colorado); Kansas City (Kansas); Omaha (Nebraska); Raleigh (North Carolina); Provo (Utah); and Reston (Virginia).
Google has pinpointed the 3550MHz-3575MHz band for its tests as it is removed by at least 75MHz from the nearest adjacent-band allocation. Further, the company notes that ‘extensive propagation testing has been conducted in the band under its existing experimental authorisation in the densely populated areas of Arlington, Virginia, and Mountain View, California, with no reports of interference’.
The application notes that end user devices (EUDs) operating under the requested authorisation will be used by Google’s employees, contractors and, possibly, under close supervision, by ‘trusted testers’ selected by Google on a volunteer basis and without payment. No commercial operations are going to be conducted under the proposal.