Ligado, Critics, Supporters Make Final Arguments at FCC on 1675-1680 MHz Band
Ligado urged the FCC to finalize rules for the 1675-1680 MHz band, in reply comments this week in docket 19-116. Weather interests oppose Ligado's terrestrial low-power service plans for the band and its proposed alternatives for delivering NOAA weather satellite data (see 1704130023). Commissioners launched an NPRM in May seeking comment (see 1905090041).
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The band is “primed to help the United States make 5G service a reality -- and thereby unlock the massive benefits that 5G promises,” Ligado said in comments posted Tuesday: “The Commission should move ahead promptly in this proceeding to help capture that opportunity.” Ligado fired back at critics: “The 14 locations identified in the Commission’s proposed rule will protect federal users, and those users are the only entities entitled to protection.”
Brian Kopp, assistant professor of electrical engineering at the University of North Florida, filed two sets of replies (see here and here) arguing the proposal threatens the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) rebroadcast (GRB) weather data provided by NOAA. “After 7 years of attempting to explain to Lightsquared, and their post-bankruptcy reinvention Ligado, how the weather community uses the GOES weather satellites, I am beginning to wonder if they might not be interested in understanding how important the environmental data is that these satellites carry,” he said.
Kopp said Ligado alleges only “eavesdroppers” are worried about the plan, he said: “In the weather community, these ‘eavesdroppers’ include the likes of county emergency management offices, the Florida Department of Transportation, Accu-weather, and many other clearly nefarious entities who according to Ligado are looking to eavesdrop on weather data they have no rights to.”
“If Ligado is allowed to force non-federal receive sites to shut down due to overpowering interference Ligado will destroy the infrastructure used by both federal and non-federal organizations to receive alerts of impending natural disasters,” Microcom Design said.
Other reply comments supported reallocation. Dish Network said it supports reallocation and the band should be auctioned “on a geographic area basis” using partial economic areas licenses. An auction should be based on “a well-tested traditional auction design” and the rules should impose “performance requirements that allow for the development of new services and technologies, including 5G, with appropriately tailored rules to account for the unique challenges of serving the license for the Gulf of Mexico,” Dish said.
“Enabling shared use of the 1675-1680 MHz band will serve the public interest,” Public Knowledge said: “In a highly concentrated wireless market, bringing additional spectrum resources to the market is necessary to spur innovative and competitive service offerings.” The Competitive Carriers Association also asked the FCC to act. “Mobile wireless operators urgently need spectrum resources to meet booming consumer demand for faster, more advanced mobile broadband services,” CCA commented.