LightSquared seeks regulatory approval for new plan

LightSquared Inc. proposed a new plan to the FCC that will overcome the technical problems that have postponed the launch of its next-generation network and put the company into bankruptcy protection, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) blocked LightSquared's service back in February, after GPS device manufacturers and users, including commercial airlines and the U.S. military, reported that signals from LightSquared's service interfered with navigation gear.

What LightSquared now proposes to do is to take one 5MHz band that it already uses for its satellite service (at 1670-1675MHz) and combine that with the next band up (1675-1680MHz), which is also used for federal purposes including NOAA weather balloons.

Jeff Carlisle, head of LightSquared's regulatory affairs, wrote in a blog post this week:

"GPS in America has become too big to fail… Like Wall Street, the manufacturers of GPS devices have spent years profiting off of vulnerable technology and are now seeking protection from the government instead of implementing the necessary reforms."

Read more -here-

• Microsoft starts testing ads in the Windows 11 Start menu
• Apple warns of iPhone 'mercenary spyware attack' across 92 countries
• Broadband 'nutrition labels' kick in, revealing hidden fees for ISPs
• TikTok is getting closer to launching an Instagram rival
• Spotify launches personalized AI playlists that you can build using prompts
• Disney Plus' password sharing crackdown begins soon