LightSquared Finds Solution to Roll Out Its 4G LTE Network on Schedule

LightSquared, one of the major providers of integrated wireless broadband and satellite network, has just announced that it has found a solution to the problem of interference with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers.

For those who don't know, LightSquared's proposed broadband network in the L-Band spectrum not only hinders GPS services on or near the ground, but significantly impacts GPS services reaching into space.

In this regard a federal advisory board submitted a report to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last week, in which it asks FCC to reverse its decision to allow LightSquared to build the network at all.

Despite the high amount of reports that show how LightSquared's network interferes with GPS services, the company received a two weeks extension from FCC, so it can solve these problems.

According to LightSquared, early test results indicated that one of its 10MHz blocks of frequencies poses interference to many GPS receivers, which happens to the specific set of frequencies that the company intended to use for the initial launch of its LTE network.

However, LightSquared found another 10MHz block of the spectrum, which apparently does no create interferences with GPS receivers, because it is lower in spectrum band and located further away from the GPS frequencies.

“At the same time, this plan offers a clear path for LightSquared to move forward with the launch of a nationwide wireless network that will introduce world class broadband service to rural and underserved areas which still find themselves on the wrong side of the digital divide,” said Sanjiv Ahuja, LightSquared Chairman and CEO.

As a result, LightSquared began developing an alternative deployment plan focused on the lower block of spectrum to launch its LTE network service.

In addition, LightSquared announced that it has entered negotiations with Inmarsat, the satellite company that controls the alternative block of spectrum in the L Band, to accelerate the schedule for LightSquared to begin using the frequencies.