FCC Greenlights A New 5G Service Despite Pentagon’s Red Flags
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FCC Greenlights A New 5G Service Despite Pentagon’s Red Flags. This week, while the world remained cloistered and captive to COVID-19, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission made a surprising announcement, issuing a news release, stating that it intends to approve to approve low-band spectrum plan that Pentagon claims will harm GPS. Click the following link to read the FCC’s April 16th news release:
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-363765A1.pdf
Summarized, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai asked fellow FCC commissioners to approve an "application to deploy a low-power terrestrial nationwide network in the L-Band that would primarily support 5G and Internet of Things services." The application is from Ligado Networks, a private company, formerly known as LightSquared. For almost a decade, Ligado (f/k/a LightSquared) has sought FCC approval to build a wireless network using frequencies near those used for GPS—first, a 4G, and now, a 5G network. In fact, it earlier failures to obtain the FCC’s approval push LightSquared into bankruptcy.
We believe that everyone should pay attention to what is happening now. In the midst of a pandemic, the FCC is moving to approve Ligado’s application—which requires a finding that it is in the public interest to grant that application—despite resistance from both the Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce, and with the support of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Attorney General William Barr…
For more details, you can click on the following links:
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/04/16/william-barr-mike-pompeo-support-fcc-191967
https://morningconsult.com/opinions/its-time-for-the-fcc-to-terminate-the-lightsquared-proceeding
We ask: Why, after ten years, is this happening now – while the nation’s entire attention is focused on the pandemic – and over the objections of the Department of Defense?
Update, April 20, 2020: Today, the FCC voted unanimously to approve Ligado’s plan that the Pentagon rejected. Click on the following link to read more:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-telecom-wireless-idUSKBN22222I
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Hosch & Morris, PLLC is a Dallas-based boutique law firm dedicated to data protection, privacy, the Internet and technology. Open the Future℠.