FCC denies LightSquared's 4G network

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KB7MIB

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I think LightSquared intends to sue the FCC and GPS system owners to force the issue. It was in one of those summaries in the left hand side of the Wall Street Journal front page over the weekend.
 

Thayne

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I think LightSquared intends to sue the FCC and GPS system owners to force the issue. It was in one of those summaries in the left hand side of the Wall Street Journal front page over the weekend.

That shows they have more money than sense; they shouldn't have put so much booty in it in the beginning, once it became widely known most technical types were sure it would cause big problems---

Even worse than Nextells interleaving with other 800 users:p
 

datainmotion

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Let's not forget their friends in high places. I'd agree with KB7MIB - this one ain't over yet...
 

OCO

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I think LightSquared intends to sue the FCC and GPS system owners to force the issue. It was in one of those summaries in the left hand side of the Wall Street Journal front page over the weekend.

The "GPS system owners" is the US Government... the users who are being harmed can't be sued.. While the GPS manufacturers are being blamed for overly broad front ends in receivers, I can't see how LightSquared has a leg to stand on, since the band they want to use was never a terrestrial allocation in the first place. They took a provision that allowed land based terrestrial sites for fill in in a few spots and turned it into 40,000 planned land based sites. They're now screwed because they've sold a bunch of empty promises in services that they can't deliver.....If this goes to the Supremes, it'll be interesting if they try to adjudicate the laws of physics.. :D
 

mmckenna

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I agree, this ain't over. While it makes sense that the FCC did the right thing, that won't stop LightSquared from getting congress to pressure the FCC to allow it. FCC will be pressured to either allow LightSquared to do whatever they want, or to force all GPS manufacturers to redesign their systems. Political pressure will overcome common sense.

On the other hand, this would be a good time for GPS manufacturers to tighten up the front end of their GPS receivers. Likely LightSquared won't prevail, but it won't mean that someone else won't try again.

LightSquared spent the money on a gamble, and they lost. That won't stop them from finding a way to get someone else to pick up the tab for their mistake. It's the American Way.
 

ka4gfy

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I agree, this is far from over.

The FCC initially ALLOWED Loightsqaured to build their system. I believe Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, American Radio Relay League and a few other groups, as well as DOD, DOT and other agencies all asked the FCC why they considered allowing this. Several Senators and Congressmen started asking asking questions and only then did the tone at FCC change.

Lightsquared has spent billions on this and like one of the other posters said, has made promises they can't deliver without violating the laws of physics. Testing has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that their transmitters overload the senstive GPS receivers for many miles.

They also have VERY deep pockets and are apparently well connected to get this far.

FAA has been moving away from ground-based navigation to sky based (GPS) for awhile. If Lightsquared is allowed to continue with this, it may take an airliner crashing on approach in bad weather to drive the point home this should have never been allowed in the first place.

Rich, KA4GFY
 

Thayne

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Don't forget that GPS is used for a lot more than just telling people where they are; it also is used for timing accuracy in many other types of communications systems that cannot be messed up.
Money doesn't always mean success--just look what is happening to Romney lately :p
 

kb2vxa

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Awww, Square Light ad a widdow qwowwel wid deh FCC.

"If this goes to the Supremes, it'll be interesting if they try to adjudicate the laws of physics."

Look out, here it comes...

Baby love, my baby love
I need you, oh how I need you!
But all you do is treat me bad
Break my heart and leave me sad
Tell me, what did I do wrong?
To make you stay away so long
 

mmckenna

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They made a lot of donations to the DNC and POTUS. IT AIN'T OVER YET!

I'm sure they made a lot of donations, and not just to the one specific political party that you don't like.

And,
if this goes anything like the rebanding process is going, we, as the customers, will end up having to replace all our GPS gear. LightSquared will put up the money to do it, but it'll still cost us a bunch of time and effort. Lawyers will get involved and gobble up most of that money. Towards the end, Nextel, whoops, I mean LightSquared will decide that maybe they changed their mind and want to walk away in the middle of the whole process.

Yes, that was sarcasm.
 
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