Can You Hear Me Now? - The Fisherman

Can You Hear Me Now?

In May of 2012, a wireless company called LightSquared went belly up after their plans to create a high-speed wireless broadband network ran into heavy opposition from government regulators who argued that the new network would interfere with the nation’s Global Positioning System (GPS).  A few months prior to LightSquared’s bankruptcy proceedings, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) had officially withdrawn preliminary approval of the company’s plan which many believed would interfere with about 75% percent of GPS receivers in the United States.

During the political fight, LightSquared had done some extensive lobbying; in fact, according to published reports, before becoming president, then Senator Obama had invested between $50,000 and $90,000 in SkyTerra, which would ultimately become LightSquared.  An Air Force General later claimed in a closed congressional hearing that he softened his testimony on the negative effects of LightSquared technology after getting political pressure to do so.

Rising like a phoenix, LightSquared has since emerged from the red, reborn as Ligado, flush with $100 million in anonymous funding and a new plan to deploy a low-power terrestrial network in the L-Band.  Once again, the plan has plenty of opposition.  Dana Deasy, chief information officer with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this year on the Pentagon’s opposition to Ligado, despite the FCC giving the once bankrupt corporation the green light yet again this past April.

The FCC decision has the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) and other consumer groups organized again in opposition.  A founding member of the recently launched Keep GPS Working Coalition, BoatUS believes that as the Ligado network is rolled out, instances of signal interference will increase. The loss of a GPS signal at a critical moment is a significant safety concern for any vessel operator.

“As a recreational boater, I must have a reliable navigation system,” said BoatUS Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy, adding “With this decision, FCC is permitting one private company to upend the entire reliability of GPS.”

The coalition said the FCC decision disregarded mountains of evidence highlighting the interference issue, ignored established technical standards, relied only on limited studies with vague and impractical criteria to access interference, and was made during the COVID-19 pandemic when a final decision was circulated only among the five FCC commissioners as stakeholders were dealing with the health crisis.

“It’s unfathomable that the lone federal caretaker of our national radio spectrum shows such disregard, even after admitting there are cases where federal and private GPS users will suffer harmful interference,” Kennedy said, adding “It’s a message that in essence says ‘tough luck’ – you are on your own.”

According to BoatUS, the FCC’s decision ignored serious concerns from federal agencies including the departments of Defense, Transportation, Commerce, Interior, Justice and Homeland Security, as well as NASA, the National Science Foundation, Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Coast Guard.

The Keep GPS Working Coalition was set up on June 23 with BoatUs, along with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.  A top priority for the coalition is to work for passage of the proposed Recognizing and Ensuring Taxpayer Access to Infrastructure Necessary for GPS and Satellite Communications (RETAIN Act).

According to Politico, the legislation expected to be introduced by Senate Armed Services Committee leaders Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Jack Reed (D-R.I.) would make Ligado responsible for any interference its fifth-generation wireless network may cause to GPS signals.

Homeland Security and DOD which operates the GPS constellation, both oppose the FCC license to Ligado because the so-called “L-Band” spectrum is closely adjacent to bands used by GPS, ultimately threatening reception capability of hundreds of millions of GPS devices.  This is one to keep an eye on!

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