Thirty-three senators have written a letter to the FCC chairman, calling on the commission to rescind LightSquared’s licence to operate due to interference of GPS signals. The letter, signed by 25 Republican senators and 8 Democrats, also called on the…
Thirty-three senators have written a letter to the FCC chairman, calling on the commission to rescind LightSquared’s licence to operate due to interference of GPS signals. The letter, signed by 25 Republican senators and 8 Democrats, also called on the FCC to demand that LightSquared demonstrates “non-interference of GPS” before it starts operating. The letter stated: “We have substantial concerns that LightSquared’s proposal places an unacceptable risk to public safety through interference to GPS receivers necessary for aviation, first responders, agriculture, construction, maritime navigation, E-911, and national defence systems.” The news came after early-field tests with LightSquared’s technology suggested dangerous disruptions of GPS frequencies.
In a letter to federal officials on May 11, the programme director for the 911 emergency system in the state of New Mexico said that “the LightSquared network will cause interference to GPS signals and jeopardise 911 and public safety nationwide”. LightSquared has been filing reports to the FCC on the GPS interference issue since March. The FCC
granted the company an ATC licence waiver in January, allowing it to deploy terrestrial services on the condition that it resolved the reported issues with GPS interference.
LightSquared is due to file a final report on the GPS interference issue on June 15. In response to the senators’ letter, LightSquared’s executive VP of Regulatory Affairs Jeff Carlisle said that GPS is a vital service to the US and that LightSquared is committed to identifying and resolving any interference problems. More than 100 engineers from various industries (including representatives of public safety networks) were now working on the issue, he said, adding: “Consumers and businesses want more capacity and competition in wireless broadband and the LightSquared network delivers that. The FCC has said that we need more capacity and competition in wireless broadband, and has charged LightSquared and the GPS industry with resolving interference concerns so we can move forward together safely.” LightSquared has previously said that it would only begin operations once the government’s GPS concerns have been resolved.
By 2015, it aims for its network to cover 92 per cent of the population. LightSquared is backed by New York-based hedge fund Harbinger Capital Partners.
he FCC said it had no comment.
LightSquared is now planning to launch LTE services early next year, with trials starting in Q3 2011. A spokeswoman for LightSquared confirmed the news, but did not offer any further comment. The move suggests a delay in plans for the roll-out of LightSquared’s network. Reports in April suggested that the company was planning to launch LTE by the end of 2011.
LightSquared is planning to deploy an integrated LTE and satellite network in the US that it describes as a “world first”. The network will provide coverage over the entire country.
It plans to operate this network on a solely wholesale basis.
LightSquared is also in preliminary talks to buy 4G network capacity with AT&T, according to reports. It would involve LightSquared paying to use AT&T’s network when it required additional capacity. Both companies declined to comment.
Cableco Cox Communications has said it will stop building its own 3G network and continue to rely on Sprint Nextel’s network through an MVNO instead. It stated that this would allow it to “accomplish speed to market while achieving greater operational efficiencies”.
Cox never launched services on the 3G network it was developing. It said: “We believe this approach is good for our customers, allowing us to take the necessary steps to fulfil our promise to deliver a Cox experience that customers expect from us.” The company added that it was aiming to make Cox Wireless available to 50 per cent of its footprint this year. Cox’s 3G MVNO currently operates in California, Oklahoma, Virginia and Nebraska.
