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NTIA, No Practical
Way To Mitigate Lightsquared Signal Against GPS Interference By Mike Mitchell |
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February 16, 2012 - The National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA), the federal agency
that coordinates spectrum uses for the military and
other federal government entities, has now concluded
that there is no practical way to mitigate potential
interference with the global positioning systems (GPS)
at this time. Consequently, the FCC will not lift the
prohibition on LightSquared.
LightSquared is a company that plans to develop a
wholesale 4G LTE wireless broadband communications
network integrated with satellite coverage across the
United States. However, the issue of interference
between it LightSquared network and with global
positioning systems (GPS) used by the aviation industry
has caused the company problems in getting the needed
authorization from the FCC.
NTIA is proposing to vacate the Conditional Waiver
Order, and to suspend indefinitely LightSquared?s
Ancillary Terrestrial Component authority to an extent
consistent with the NTIA letter.
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LightSquared was granted the first license to deploy and provide
terrestrial service in the L-Band spectrum in November 2004 and
in 2011, LightSquared announced that it had signed a 15-year
agreement with Sprint to build and operate its wireless network.
GPS
receivers have relatively sensitive "front ends" because of the
extremely weak signal strength, generally have little filtering
to further reduce the signal loss, and are subject to
interference from high power signals in the L band, something
made worse when an active antenna system containing a LNA is
added to the system. When MSS/ATC (Mobile Satellite
Service/Ancillary Terrestrial Component) operation was first
proposed, the number of ATC transmitters was thought to be
small, because it was part of an integrated system with the
satellite.
In
response to the NTIA?s recommendation to the FCC regarding
LightSquared?s network, the company said it remains committed to
finding a resolution with the federal government and the GPS
industry to resolve all remaining concerns. LightSquared reports
it is confident that the parties will continue the on-going
efforts to explore all engineering options and alternatives to
find a solution to this difficult issue.
However, LightSquared stated the NTIA?s recommendation relied on the flawed conclusions of the PNT ExCOM about LightSquared?s potential impact on GPS. LightSquared profoundly disagrees with both the NTIA?s and the PNT?s recommendations, which disregard more than a decade of regulatory orders, and in doing so, jeopardize private enterprise, jobs and investment in America's future. |