Dozens of lawmakers are opposed to Ligado’s plan. Can they undo the FCC’s decision?

C4ISRNET ^ | 7-17-20 | Aaron Mehta

[Dacula]

A week before the Federal Communications Commission officially signed off on a plan for Ligado Networks to use L-Band spectrum, Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Oregon, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, warning the plan could harm the Global Positioning System.

The April missive was the first sign some members of Congress were unhappy with the plan, but it would not be the last, as officials from the departments of defense, transportation and other government agencies raised alarms about how Ligado’s system could damage GPS capability for the military and commercial users.

Now, three months after the FCC voted unanimously to approve Ligado’s long-stalled request, at least 32 Senators and 50 Representatives from multiple committees have either signed letters or stated that the FCC should reverse its decision. But it remains unclear if the group is cohesive, or powerful, enough to push through legislation to stop the company from moving forward.

[Dacula]

Now, three months after the FCC voted unanimously to approve Ligado’s long-stalled request,

Somebody got paid a lot of money to get this passed.

[Dacula]

Say goodbye to your GPS.

[mikey_hates_everything]

Didn’t this same thing go on during the Obama admin with LightSquared? I believe the Air Force got it stopped because of the GPS interference.

[mikey_hates_everything]

What do you know? Ligado used to be LightSquared!

[Dacula]

Please explain the entire mess. I am trying to understand the facts but I am not sure what the whole story is on this matter.

Thanks in advance. :)

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligado_Networks

[Dacula]

Thank you. This needs to be halted.

[Bigg Red]

I don’t understand any of this technology, but if the people complaining about it are all DemocRats, I am suspicious about their real reasons for objecting.

[Dacula]

I don’t understand any of this technology, but if the people complaining about it are all DemocRats, I am suspicious about their real reasons for objecting.

---

My father was in the Air Force for over 24 years. Retired and worked Civil Service for another 20+ years. He was the last civilian working for the US out of Panama before we handed it over.

He is not happy with ‘this’ spectrum being handed out. There are other reasons, but I cannot detail them nor do I know the complete details. That is why I was asking for more information.

[mikey_hates_everything]

Ligado wants to use RF (radio frequency) spectrum right next to what GPS uses for 5G usage. LightSquared wanted it for 4G at the time. GPS and what Ligado wants to do (5G uses other bands safely away from GPS so this is NOT a 5G issue) are so close together on the spectrum but differ greatly in power levels. Long story short, if you were a GPS receiver, it would be like you trying to see a candle a mile away while Ligado shines a spotlight in your face. Good bye GPS signal. Ligado/LightSquared claimed that a filter installed on newer GPS receivers would solve the problem but couldn’t solve the problem with existing receivers, assuming the filter worked at all. Ligado/LightSquared also intends to put the cost burden of that filter on all of us.

[Bigg Red]

Okay, thanks for the information.

[bigbob]

No. A non-politicized FCC simply recognized that the 1dB standard being pushed was bogus and technically unnecessary and inaccurate so they gave Ligado the approval to proceed, giving America a chance for leadership in 5G while Trump is banning deployment by our enemies. E.g the CCP and its minion companies.