LightSquared asks FCC to exempt GPS receivers from protection

On Jan 27, one year and a day after the Federal Communications Commission told startup broadband wireless carrier LightSquared it could not begin operations until it demonstrated its network did not cause interference with Global Positioning System receivers, the agency kicked off a review process requested by the company to determine whether GPS receivers are entitled to such protection.

On Dec. 20, 2011, LightSquared filed a petition with FCC seeking a ruling that commercial GPS receivers fit the commission's description of unlicensed Earth stations or unlicensed wireless systems such as Wi-Fi networks and hence "are not entitled to interference protection from LightSquared operations." FCC initiated a public comment period on the petition, with replies due March 15. The agency said LightSquared "in essence" seeks a declaratory ruling that if its terrestrial network operates "in accordance with the commission's technical parameters, commercially available GPS devices are not protected against harmful interference" caused by those operations.