PERTAINING TO LIGHTSQUARED AND GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS

[Frank Gentges]

tacoistas,

It looks like the FCC is going to deny Lightsquared the spectrum near 
the GPS frequency.  Finally, NTIA weighed in and issued a paper and the 
FCC has found continuing their position has become intolerable.  Their 
statement follows.

For those of us at Tippy's Taco's table we saw this coming and our 
response is  "awww"

 From Orlando.

Frank Gentges K0BRA


STATEMENT FROM FCC SPOKESPERSON TAMMY SUN ON LETTER FROM NTIA

ADDRESSING HARMFUL INTERFERENCE TESTING CONCLUSIONS

PERTAINING TO LIGHTSQUARED AND GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS
“To drive economic growth, job creation, and to promote competition, the 
FCC has been focused on
freeing up spectrum for mobile broadband. This includes our efforts to 
remove regulatory barriers that
preclude the use of spectrum for mobile services. To advance these 
goals, the Commission runs open
processes – the success of which relies on the active, timely, and full 
participation of all stakeholders.
“LightSquared’s proposal to provide ground-based mobile service offered 
the potential to unleash new
spectrum for mobile broadband and enhance competition. The Commission 
clearly stated from the outset
that harmful interference to GPS would not be permitted. This is why the 
Conditional Waiver Order
issued by the Commission’s International Bureau prohibited LightSquared 
from beginning commercial
operations unless harmful interference issues were resolved.
“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 at this time.
Consequently, the Commission will not lift the prohibition on 
LightSquared. The International Bureau of
the Commission is proposing to (1) vacate the Conditional Waiver Order, 
and (2) suspend indefinitely
LightSquared’s Ancillary Terrestrial Component authority to an extent 
consistent with the NTIA letter. A
Public Notice seeking comment on NTIA’s conclusions and on these 
proposals will be released
tomorrow.
“This proceeding has revealed challenges to maximizing the opportunities 
of mobile broadband for our
economy. In particular, it has revealed challenges to removing 
regulatory barriers on spectrum that restrict
use of that spectrum for mobile broadband. This includes receivers that 
pick up signals from spectrum
uses in neighboring bands. There are very substantial costs to our 
economy and to consumers of
preventing the use of this and other spectrum for mobile broadband. 
Congress, the FCC, other federal
agencies, and private sector stakeholders must work together in a 
concerted effort to reduce regulatory
barriers and free up spectrum for mobile broadband. Part of this effort 
should address receiver
performance to help ensure the most efficient use of all spectrum to 
drive our economy and best serve
American consumers.”
-- FCC --