As 2020 comes to a close, the Ligado Networks LLC’s (Ligado) mobile satellite services (MSS) project remains at a standstill. While actions in the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) proceedings in the case have stagnated, Congressional action, funds and filings have flowed.
Dawn Zoldi
Now a new administration will take the helm. As we ring in 2021, what might become of Ligado’s deployment of a low-power terrestrial nationwide network in the L-Band that some continue to say will interfere with mission-critical Global Positioning System (GPS)?
Congress: A Resolution to Resolve
In early December, the Senate Committee on Armed Services, in reporting out the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), sent a strong message on Ligado: stand down until the “harmful interference” issue is resolved. At issue: the Ligado-proposed and FCC-approved criteria of harmful interference to determine how select receivers are impacted versus the Department of Transportation study method of determining an allowable level of noise adjacent to the relevant spectrum.