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 the agency does not approve its plan to build a nationwide broadband network, which many experts warn will cause interference with GPS receivers.
LightSquared argues that any GPS interference is due to GPS receivers improperly "looking" for signals in an adjacent frequency band, violating LightSquared's licensed spectrum and ignoring Defense Department standards.
Opposing groups, such as the Coalition to Save Our GPS, contend that LightSquared's current plan for a large ground network deviates from its initial satellite-focused proposal and operates too close to GPS frequencies.

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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.