The FCC has granted US 4G-LTE venture LightSquared a waiver to rules governing its ATC licence, enabling the group’s wholesalers to offer terrestrial-only services.
LightSquared filed a request to the regulator on 18 November to adjust conditions that…
The FCC has granted US 4G-LTE venture LightSquared a waiver to rules governing its ATC licence, enabling the group’s wholesalers to offer terrestrial-only services.
LightSquared filed a request to the regulator on 18 November to adjust conditions that required the licence to be used in conjunction with a fully integrated satellite/terrestrial network.
This request was dealt a significant blow on 12 January, when the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) called on the FCC to look into “significant interference concerns” that could result from any increase in terrestrial usage.
The complication also threatened LightSquared’s ability to meet a rigorous construction timetable that is tied to the FCC easing of certain requirements connected to SkyTerra’s ATC licence.
However, although in announcing its decision on 26 January the FCC ordered LightSquared to ensure it addresses interference concerns, it reasoned that “in the absence of a waiver, the substantial public benefit of rationalising MSS L-band spectrum might not be realised any time soon”.
In a statement circulated to media outlets following the announcement, LightSquared said the group was pleased with the ruling, and that it endeavoured to resolve the concerns raised by the NTIA and others.
“To assure that its rollout of full commercial service will satisfy the concerns about the possibility of inadvertent harmful interference to certain GPS devices, LightSquared pledges a diligent effort to work with all interested parties in an open and comprehensive process to address those concerns,” the company stated.
The waiver will likely fuel the anger of some industry observers, who have already accused the FCC of double standards over a deadline extension last year that enabled the launch of LightSquared’s first satellite, given that ATC licence holder Globalstar and its partner Open Range has been denied similar regulatory adjustments in the past.
It remained unclear at the time of going to press whether the FCC intended to grant a similar waiver to other ATC licensees.
In related news, LightSquared has announced the triggering of a spectrum leasing agreement with Inmarsat.
The move follows an agreement (Phase 1) last year to increase the contiguous L-band spectrum of both parties, and will see the mobile satellite operator lease LightSquared some of its spectrum at an annual cost of US$115m, which will increase at a rate of 3% per year.
For Phase 1, LightSquared is currently making a series of payments to Inmarsat that total US$337.5m.
“We are pleased to report that LightSquared is experiencing very strong demand for capacity on its 4G-LTE wholesale network, and therefore we have decided to accelerate the triggering of Phase 2 of our agreement with Inmarsat,” said LightSquared chairman and CEO Sanjiv Ahuja.
“When Phase 2 is fully executed, LightSquared will have the use of up to 59 MHz of terrestrial and L-Band ATC spectrum over the continental United States and Canada to operate its nationwide integrated 4G-LTE and satellite network.
“LightSquared will work diligently and cooperatively with Inmarsat and its user community to coordinate implementation of all phases of this cooperation agreement to insure a seamless transition.”
