LightSquared Threatens Legal Action against FCC

Stephen Pope

Thursday, October 06, 2011 at 06:58 PM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

LightSquared is threatening legal action against the FCC if its proposed nationwide network of 40,000 broadband towers, which experts warn will interfere with GPS, is not approved.
LightSquared argues that any GPS interference is due to GPS receivers "listening" outside their designated frequency band, violating LightSquared's licensed spectrum, and that GPS manufacturers ignored Defense Department standards.
Industry groups, such as the "Coalition to Save Our GPS," are fighting the plan, noting LightSquared's initial proposal emphasized satellite transmissions over a large ground network near GPS bands.

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LightSquared is threatening legal action against the Federal Communications Commission if the agency does not grant the company approval to build a planned nationwide network of around 40,000 broadband towers that many experts warn will cause interference with GPS receivers.

LightSquared argues that any interference with high-precision GPS receivers from the company’s planned network is a result of GPS receivers “looking” for signals in the adjacent frequency band. In a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, the company argues that GPS manufacturers have ignored standards developed by the Defense Department to block reception of transmissions from nearby bands.