DoD issues new rebuke of FCC’s decision to allow Ligado 5G network

[rangerrebew]

DoD issues new rebuke of FCC’s decision to allow Ligado 5G network
by Sandra Erwin — April 18, 2020
 
DoD issued a joint statement with the Department of Transportation criticizing the FCC ruling.

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department in a statement April 17 called on the Federal Communications Commission to reverse its decision to allow Ligado Networks access to electromagnetic spectrum adjacent to the spectrum used by the Global Positioning System.

The FCC on April 16 announced it intends to grant a license modification to Ligado Networks to use a portion of the L-band spectrum for 5G and internet-of-things services. The FCC said the company’s proposed network design ensures that “adjacent band operations, including the Global Positioning System, are protected from harmful interference.”

https://spacenews.com/dod-issues-new-rebuke-of-fccs-decision-to-allow-ligado-5g-network/

[Elderberry]

American Military News by  David Vergun - U.S. Department of Defense  May 09, 2020

The Federal Communications Commission’s granting of a license to a private company threatens to undermine the Defense Department’s Global Positioning System capabilities, as well as that of the civilian sector, which also relies on GPS, DOD officials told Congress.

DOD Chief Information Officer Dana S. Deasy; Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering Michael D. Griffin; Space Force Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond, chief of space operations and commander of U.S. Space Command; and retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad W. Allen spoke at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on DOD spectrum policy and the impact of the FCC’s Ligado Networks decision on national security.

Ligado is a U.S. satellite communications company formerly known as LightSquared.

“It’s all at risk now,” he said, and he explained why.

GPS relies on picking up very weak signals transmitted from GPS satellites to ground-based receivers. Ligado’s loud signals from a spectrum would effectively drown out those weak signals, he said. This would force the department to redesign and rebuild its infrastructure, which would cost billions of dollars and would take decades to accomplish, he added.

More: https://americanmilitarynews.com/2020/05/dod-private-sector-leaders-see-danger-to-gps-due-to-fcc-licensing-ruling/

[Smokin Joe]

Who owns the company? If there is one Chinese nickel in the investment chain, absolutely not.

[Elderberry]

Ligado Networks

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

Operations

Ligado Networks is based in Reston, Virginia.[4] The company is governed by a seven-member board of directors[5] with Ivan Seidenberg as Chairman and Doug Smith as president and CEO.[6][better source needed] Fortress Investment Group, LLC, Centerbridge Partners LP and JPMorgan Chase & Co. own controlling stakes in Ligado Networks; Harbinger Capital Partners maintains a minority stake.[7][8]

Ligado Networks has 40 MHz of spectrum licenses in the nationwide block of 1500 MHz to 1700 MHz spectrum in the L-Band.[9][10] With it, the company is developing a satellite-terrestrial network to support the emerging 5G market and Internet of Things applications.[6][10]

The spectrum the company controls was originally set aside for satellite communications only.[13] That changed in 2004 when the FCC granted approval for the company to augment its satellite network with cellphone towers on land.[13] In January 2011, the FCC approved a conditional waiver to allow the company to use its spectrum for land-based-only LTE communications if the company resolved GPS interference.[25] The GPS industry, aviators and military claimed the company's use of its spectrum would interfere with their communications.[26] In February 2012, the FCC proposed to suspend indefinitely the ATC authorization due to the interference issues with satellite services.[12][27] Three months later, LightSquared filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy.[12]

On December 7, 2015, the company emerged from bankruptcy as a new company[1][2] under the control of Centerbridge Partners, Fortress Investment Group and JPMorgan Chase & Co.; Harbinger retained minority ownership.[8] Also in December 2015, the company reached settlements with GPS companies Garmin Ltd., Deere & Co. and Trimble Navigation Ltd. to establish how the company and GPS companies can coexist.[28][29]

The company announced its new name, Ligado Networks, on February 10, 2016.