LightSquared vs GPS

The US government is currently reviewing plans for the deployment of the nation's newest 4g network. The network is currently opposed by Save Our GPS Coalition -- an industry-standard group that promotes GPS issues in Congress. They say that if the network were to be deployed as currently planned it would have severe affects on GPS.  That it would put small airplanes, industrial farm equipment and consumers at risk of losing GPS signal in North America. In short the end of GPS.

LightSquared is a ground-based and satellite based next-generation 4G network using LTE -- Long-term Evolution which is the fastest and most powerful cellular data standard currently being developed. Their plan is to use a combination of ground based towers and the world largest communication satellite to build a network that would cover the whole United States including rural areas that have no access to the internet now.

             The controversy stems from the fact that lightsquare will be operating its satellite network in two frequency blocks -- one right above and one right below the current GPS.  The GPS alliance says because GPS is such a weak signal GPS will get lost in the noise –it’s like whispering while people shout in the room. If you listen to them it would put public safety at risk, in particular as small planes as they use GPS to navigate. It will also interfere with farmers harvesting crops as they use it to plot the best route in harvesting their felids. In their view this will cause a GPS apocalypse and put the public in danger. They want the FCC to put a stop to the plan and go back to the drawing board.

Light squared has responded to this by issuing statements saying that it will attempt to minimize spectrum interference with the GPS signal. It has also stated it will only using only half of the spectrum space they have in its first deployment. They say that this 10MHz portion of its allotted spectrum "poses no risk to the users of over 99 percent of GPS devices” and the remaining 1 percent of GPS devices can have filters installed to prevent any interference. They add that the problem is with the GPS devices, as they were badly designed not to filter out interference with other signal bands. They point out that all parties involved knew the potential interference risk back in 2003, when the FCC approved the network's build-out. The FCC even put a clause in its original plan that made clear "addressing the interference concerns regarding GPS must be completed to the Commission's satisfaction before LightSquared commences offering commercial service".

LightSquared’s billionaire backer Phil Falcone has gone as far as to point his finger at AT&T and Verizon, claiming both are trying to stop competition. As they are both members of the Save Our GPS Coalition trying to stop LightSquared. The fact that LightSquared will be selling to smaller wireline and wireless communication service providers is the reason they oppose the plan. Their network will give smaller regional players like Metro PCS and others access to a nation-wide 4G network without having to build out their own network. LightSquared recently announced that it had signed a 15-year agreement to share 3G and 4G with Sprint – the 3^rd largest cell company and the biggest rival to AT&T and Verizon.

I don’t want to see a GPS apocalypse, my hope is that the interference problems are resolved  in a timely manner. What I find most interesting is the LightSquared plan  has been out for public review for over 7 years and just now is having issues raised.  At the same time that AT&T is trying to merge with tmoble(the 4^th largest cell carrier) because they say the only way it can provide nationwide 4g network is to buy up more spectrum.  At the same time they oppose the LightSquared plan which will bring in more competition into the market.