PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 14-1079 Released: July 29, 2014 Office of Engineering and Technology Requests Comment on the Public Trial of Google, Inc.’s TV Band Database System Registration Procedures ET Docket No. 04-186 Comments Date: August 13, 2014 Reply comments Date: August 19, 2014 The Commission’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) is requesting comment on the 45-day public trial of a new system of registration procedures for Google Inc.’s (Google’s) TV bands database system that was completed on July 17, 2014. Google’s TV bands database system is designed and intended to support the operation of low power unlicensed transmitting devices on unoccupied spectrum within the broadcast television spectrum (TV band). This unoccupied spectrum is commonly known as the TV “white spaces.” As part of their operations, TV white space database administrators, including Google, are required to provide for registration in their databases of certain facilities using the TV band that are to be provided protection from unlicensed devices and whose operating information is not available from the FCC databases. Currently, Spectrum Bridge, another approved TV band database administrator, is processing the registration of these protected facilities on Google’s behalf. In a Public Notice released May 28, 2014, DA 14-720, OET announced that, beginning June 2, 2014, it was conducting a 45-day public trial of a new registration system was developed by Google and is to be used with its TV band database system. This new registration system will replace the Google database system’s current reliance on the Spectrum Bridge system for processing registration requests. The 45-day trial allowed the public to access and participate in the testing of Google’s new registration system to ensure that the system properly registers facilities entitled to protection and that Google’s database system as modified to incorporate its new registration system provides protection to such facilities as specified in the Commission’s rules. Participants were encouraged to report any inaccuracies or other issues with any aspect of the database system to Google. Google has provided a summary report on the trial of its new registration procedures and modified database system to OET. This summary report identifies: 1) problems reported and their disposition and 2) descriptions of changes made by Google to its new registration procedures or its channel availability calculator during the trial period. We are requesting that interested parties submit comments on the trial and this report. A copy of Google’s summary report is available on the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) at: Summary Report: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7521737609 2The Commission’s rules require that TV band database systems protect the following radio services: 1) broadcast television stations (including full power, TV translator, low power TV, and Class A stations); 2) fixed broadcast auxiliary service (BAS) links (regular licensed and temporary); 3) receive sites (and received channels) of TV translator, low power TV, and Class A TV stations and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs); 4) private land mobile radio service and commercial mobile radio service operations; 5) offshore radio telephone service operations; 6) radio astronomy operations at specific sites; and 7) low power auxiliary service operations (principally licensed and certain approved unlicensed wireless microphone venue sites). Except for MVPD receive sites, sites where licensed wireless microphones are used, and approved unlicensed wireless microphone venues, the necessary data and information for protection of the above facilities will either be extracted by Google from the Commission’s databases or are specified in the rules. Operators of facilities for which information is contained in the Commission’s records or provided in the rules do not need to take any action to obtain protection from TV band devices. Operators of MVPD receive sites, wireless microphones users, and operators of temporary BAS links must specifically register their sites with a TV bands database to receive protection from TV band devices. 1 Google’s modified database system provides a registration capability for these facilities that replaces its current arrangement whereby its database uses registration procedures provided by Spectrum Bridge. Those new registration procedures will be available for use with its database once OET grants Google final approval to operate its database with those procedures. The rules also provide that responsible parties may request that the Commission approve registrations for protection of venues where unlicensed wireless microphones are used (such requests may be made through the Commission’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) at http://www.fcc.gov/uls/login). Such requests for registration will first be made available for public comment, and the Commission will subsequently review them for approval. Registrations for MVPD receive sites, sites where licensed wireless microphones are used, venues where large numbers of wireless microphones are used, and temporary BAS links that are made during the trial period will not be transferred to its operational database. Parties are still able to register their MVPD receive sites, sites where licensed wireless microphones are used, and temporary BAS links with Google’s current database using the Spectrum Bridge registration procedures. They will be able to register those facilities in Google’s modified database system once general operation of that system for use by TV band devices is approved and implemented. Registrations made with the current Google database system that have not expired as of the date when the modified database is approved for operation will be included in the modified database. The requirements for TV band database systems are set forth in 47 C.F.R. 15.701 et seq. and OET’s January 26, 2011, Order on TV bands database administrators (see Order in ET Docket No. 04- 186, DA 11-131). OET will grant final approval for Google to operate its database system as modified with its new registration system with certified TV bands devices once it determines that the system complies with all of the applicable rules and requirements. The public will be informed of such decision through a Public Notice. 1 The TV band databases are required to exchange registration records such that a registration made with any given database will also be transferred to and included in all of the other databases. A protected entity therefore needs to register its facility with only a single database to obtain protection from all of the databases. Thus far, OET has approved the TV band databases of Spectrum Bridge, Inc., iconnectiv, Google, Inc., and Keybridge Global, LLC. for operation to provide service to devices. 3The TV bands database systems are the subject of a docketed proceeding, ET Docket No. 04- 186, and comments and reply comments addressing the trial of Google’s new registration for its TV band database system must be filed in that proceeding using the FCC’s ECFS as described below. A simplified interface for ECFS has been implemented to facilitate consumer comment. Documents filed on ECFS may be accessed and reviewed on that system, which contains copies of written submissions and summaries of oral submissions regarding the white spaces proceeding. Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments and reply comments addressing the trial of Google’s database system and its report on the trial by August 13, 2014 and August 19, 2014, respectively. As indicated above, comments and reply comments must be filed using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). ? Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/. ? Paper Filers: Parties that choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first- class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. ? All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12 th St., SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building. ? Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. ? U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12 th Street, SW, Washington DC 20554. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Marlene H. Dortch, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554. Parties should also send a copy of their filings to Alan Stillwell, Office of Engineering and Technology, Federal Communications Commission, Room 7-A162, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554, or by e-mail to Alan.Stillwell@fcc.gov. Parties must also serve one copy with the Commission’s copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, (202) 488-5300, or via e-mail to fcc@bcpiweb.com. Documents in ET Docket No. 04-186 are available for public inspection and copying during business hours at the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 4CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The documents may also be purchased from BCPI, telephone (202) 488-5300, facsimile (202) 488-5563, TTY (202) 488-5562, e-mail fcc@bcpiweb.com. Questions regarding this Public Notice may be directed to Alan Stillwell at (202) 418-2925 or Hugh L. Van Tuyl at (202) 418-7506. By the Chief, Office of Engineering and Technology. -FCC-