I expressed concern about the potential GPS interference resulting from Lightsquare’s new 4G network as voiced on LML. This is the reply from Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison who chairs the Senate committee with jurisdiction over spectrum issues. 

 

Stan Fields

Austin – LEG 201

 

  Concerns have been expressed about the possibility of LightSquared services interfering with existing GPS capabilities.  On June 30, 2011, LightSquared submitted a final report of the technical working group comprised of representatives from LightSquared and the GPS Industry Council.  This report, required as a condition under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Authorization and Order, identified potentially significant interference between LightSquared operations in its “upper band,” and a number of legacy GPS receivers.  Some interference issues were also identified for the lower 10 MHz band of spectrum owned by Lightsquared.  In conjunction with the report, LightSquared has identified certain steps it can take to mitigate interference, such as freezing land-based use of its Upper 10 MHz frequencies adjacent to the GPS band.

 

     As the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology, which has jurisdiction over spectrum issues, please be assured that I will work to ensure our GPS capabilities are not threatened by expansion in the wireless broadband market.

 

     I appreciate hearing from you, and I hope that you will not hesitate to contact me on any issue that is important to you.

 

Sincerely,

Kay Bailey Hutchison

United States Senator