Sprint recently told LightSquared that it has an additional 30 days to gain approval from the Federal Communications Commission to launch its 4G LTE network. Sprint said in March that it would deploy part of its planned 4G LTE network using LightSquared’s 1600MHz frequency spectrum, but LightSquared has yet to prove to the FCC that adjustments to its network no longer interfere with GPS technology. Sprint originally gave LightSquared until December 31st to gain the approval, which The Wall Street Journal said is a condition of the 15-year partnership. On December 15th, the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation both announced that they “still see an interference problem with the network.” LightSquared responded a few days later demanding approval from the FCC. “LightSquared has had FCC authorization to build its network for over eight years and that authorization was endorsed by the GPS industry, and fully reviewed and allowed to proceed by several other government agencies,” LightSquared’s executive vice president of regulatory affairs and public policy Jeff Carlisle said. “Commercial GPS device-makers have had nearly a decade to design and sell devices that do not infringe on LightSquared’s licensed spectrum. They have no right to complain in the eleventh-hour about incompatibility when they had ample opportunity to avoid this problem.”
Sprint gives LightSquared 30 extra days to gain FCC clearance
Updated Dec 19th, 2018 7:40PM EST
If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.
