LightSquared Proposal to End GPS Interference Concerns May Not Succeed, Some Say
A new proposal by LightSquared seeking federal spectrum and offering to give up the upper 10 MHz of the L-band is a tall order, some satellite experts said. The company filed the proposal with the FCC International Bureau Friday, including a petition for a rulemaking to develop operating parameters for terrestrial use of the 1526-1536 MHz portion of the L-band (CD Oct 1 p20). The proposal is an effort to proceed with building a 4G terrestrial broadband network, which reached an impasse when interference issues were raised by the GPS community.
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LightSquared’s filings raise questions around the feasibility of such a request, the satellite experts said. The regulatory path for granting the proposal is unclear, said a lawyer with some concerns over LightSquared’s potential interference. The FCC proposed to yank a waiver that would let LightSquared complete its terrestrial buildout. There also is a question around how a frequency band not currently available for terrestrial service “could be made available under such a plan,” the attorney said. “From the GPS side, studies have all shown that the lower 10 MHz of the MSS [mobile satellite services] band doesn’t work for this service."
The wholesale satellite capacity company proposed sharing the 1675-1680 MHz band with federal users. LightSquared “has extensive experience coordinating this existing 5 MHz with the adjacent band used by the federal government,” it said. LightSquared suggested that the FCC adopt transitional rules to permit use of the lower 10 MHz spectrum “in a manner that is fully compatible with GPS receivers until such times as LightSquared is permitted robust terrestrial use of that spectrum.” Such a process would create a public forum in which federal agencies, the GPS industry and other entities “can address all relevant issues and determine a way forward that satisfies dual public interest goals of fostering broadband while ensuring the compatibility of GPS receivers,” it said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the primary agency using that spectrum, will likely have a problem with sharing the spectrum with LightSquared, said mobile satellite analyst Tim Farrar. “It’s going to be much more difficult for the FCC to agree to give up 1675-1680 to allow LightSquared to operate unless it’s an incredibly confined usage to a very limited part of the country.” Use of the spectrum by LightSquared could prevent the commission from auctioning 15 MHz in the 1675-1710 MHz band, he said. Allowing LightSquared’s shared spectrum use could be a lengthy process, and “requires NOAA to go and change its perspective about which 15 MHz it’s giving up,” Farrar said. “It’s a long time before that could happen."
Trimble Navigation supports LightSquared’s proposed rulemaking proceeding to consider appropriate long-term use of MSS spectrum adjacent to GPS. Vice President Jim Kirkland said the GPS company, which supported the FCC proposal to revoke LightSquared’s ancillary terrestrial component authority, hopes the proceeding “will permit a thorough assessment of the costs and benefits associated with such terrestrial use.” While increased availability of spectrum for mobile broadband is important, “preservation and encouragement of innovation in location-based products and services … must not take a back seat to mobile broadband deployment,” he said. NOAA had no comment and the International Bureau didn’t respond to a request for comment.