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CTIA on Attack

LightSquared CEO Doesn’t Address Interference Concerns in CTIA Remarks

ORLANDO -- CTIA President Steve Largent called voluntary incentive auctions a critical component of making more spectrum available for wireless broadband, speaking at his association’s convention. LightSquared CEO Sanjiv Ahuja argued that the 59 MHz of capacity his company is making available on a wholesale basis could prove critical in avoiding a spectrum “traffic jam.” Ahuja didn’t address interference concerns raised about his company’s service, which, under FCC conditions, must be addressed before LightSquared can deploy.

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CTIA supports spectrum inventory legislation, Largent said. “We already know there are huge chunks of spectrum that are currently going unused or underused,” he said. “Broadcasters are sitting on substantial amounts of spectrum in markets all over the country. … They obviously don’t have a use for it, but our industry certainly does.” Largent said “broadcasters might talk a good game, after all that’s what they do, but our industry’s track record clearly shows we put our money where our mouth is.”

Largent noted there are 10 international pavilions at the conference and attendees represent more than 100 nations. “As for the U.S. market, it’s more competitive and innovative than ever,” he said. “That’s the message we're carrying to policymakers across the country.”

"Sometimes it feels like our world is changing faster than the speed of light,” Ahuja said. “It was only a decade ago that we thought cellular technology was revolutionary. Think about the explosion of wireless broadband in just three years,” he said. “We just can’t work without it.” The U.S. should be “the absolute global leader” in wireless broadband, but connectivity is “severely limited” with the nation facing a “critical tipping point,” he said.

Ahuja said LightSquared’s business model will mean more competition in the wireless industry. This week, he noted, LightSquared said it got a four-year 4G roaming agreement with Leap Wireless (CD March 23 p14). Wednesday, the satellite company said it has a pilot program under which electronics retailer Best Buy can offer 4G service to customers through the LightSquared network.

LightSquared’s business model “means we will never compete with customers for end-users” and “opens up the wireless industry to new market entrants who previously could have never imagined offering connectivity,” Ahuja said. He didn’t address concerns before the FCC that the company’s satellite-terrestrial broadband network will interfere with GPS satellites and other communications.