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| HIPAR |
Posted - 11 févr. 2011 : 16:29:18
Updated 20120215 : FCC pulls the plug on the Lightsquared Network, see details on page 4.
Updated 20110512 : you can follow the testing process here: http://www.pnt.gov/interference/lightsquared/ - in their monthly reports.
Updated 20110311 : GPS industry and users are getting organized -> http://saveourgps.org/ !
Members of the Coalition : Garmin, Trimble, Caterpillar, ATA, etc...
Here is a study on the impact : >> LINK <<
Original post - Has anyone here been following developments concerning interference from the Lightsquared terrestrial network on susceptible GPS devices? Evidently, the GPS industry has conducted laboratory testing that indicates popular GPS devices might be 'jammed'.
http://www.gpsworld.com/gnss-system/news/data-shows-disastrous-gps-jamming-fcc-approved-broadcaster-11029 |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| ve7mdt |
Posted - 18 févr. 2012 : 14:15:53
Lightsquared maintained that the tests were flawed and rigged (by supporters of GPS industry); and that there is this conspiracy , again by supporters and insiders of the GPS industry, to make it the worst case test results making the report; while their own tests showed differently, and better results (less interference).
They also claimed that the FCC has been heavily lobbied by GPS industry, and influenced. (WHILE they retain an ex FCC Commissioner to be their advisor).
And lately, they were even spewing nastier wordings after the rope got tightened.
I don't really know who's telling the truth here, but FCC will take big flak if they accept a flawed report (or rigged) as good, as they are supposed to be the expert themselves (it'll be like the ATF dept were sold toy guns as real ones), as they have big responsibility. But my bigger problem is the high profile the Lightsquared liked to take the fight onto.
If big corporation can bully the governing body / agency, if not lobbied them successfully, then it'll be the end of any fair games.
Thus I never like this corporation from the start; they were already acting like a bully before they were even operating, licensed, and established. Imagine how they will act if they were indeed given a licence? Probably use the licence "to kill"! |
| wco81 |
Posted - 18 févr. 2012 : 12:44:38
So it's a greedy hedge fund which is going to make demands and threaten litigation unless it gets its way.
They must have got the spectrum on the cheap.
Otherwise, it would be a better strategy to bid for new spectrum, such as the one which Congress plans to auction next year. But those auctions are expected to bring $25 billion and you know AT&T and Verizon will make sure they lock them up to prevent competitors. |
| gpspassion |
Posted - 18 févr. 2012 : 12:33:40
According to this article in computerworld, Lightsquared are looking at some options :
- appeal
- sue FCC and GPS industry
- swap their frequencies |
| gpspassion |
Posted - 16 févr. 2012 : 02:22:52
Well that's it, the FCC has pulled the plug on the Lightsquared network: quote:
“To drive economic growth, job creation, and to promote competition, the FCC has been focused on freeing up spectrum for mobile broadband. This includes our efforts to remove regulatory barriers that preclude the use of spectrum for mobile services. To advance these goals, the Commission runs open processes – the success of which relies on the active, timely, and full participation of all stakeholders.
“LightSquared’s proposal to provide ground-based mobile service offered the potential to unleash new spectrum for mobile broadband and enhance competition. The Commission clearly stated from the outset that harmful interference to GPS would not be permitted. This is why the Conditional Waiver Order issued by the Commission’s International Bureau prohibited LightSquared from beginning commercial operations unless harmful interference issues were resolved.
“NTIA, the federal agency that coordinates spectrum uses for the military and other federal government entities, has now concluded that there is no practical way to mitigate potential interference at this time. Consequently, the Commission will not lift the prohibition on LightSquared. The International Bureau of the Commission is proposing to (1) vacate the Conditional Waiver Order, and (2) suspend indefinitely LightSquared’s Ancillary Terrestrial Component authority to an extent consistent with the NTIA letter. A Public Notice seeking comment on NTIA’s conclusions and on these proposals will be released tomorrow.
“This proceeding has revealed challenges to maximizing the opportunities of mobile broadband for our economy. In particular, it has revealed challenges to removing regulatory barriers on spectrum that restrict use of that spectrum for mobile broadband. This includes receivers that pick up signals from spectrum uses in neighboring bands. There are very substantial costs to our economy and to consumers of preventing the use of this and other spectrum for mobile broadband. Congress, the FCC, other federal agencies, and private sector stakeholders must work together in a concerted effort to reduce regulatory barriers and free up spectrum for mobile broadband. Part of this effort should address receiver performance to help ensure the most efficient use of all spectrum to drive our economy and best serve American consumers.”
from TMF Associates MSS blog
So GPS as we know it is safe but since poorly designed GPS receivers are at fault I wonder what that does to LightSquared's likely legal claims ?... |
| HIPAR |
Posted - 14 janv. 2012 : 20:56:00
This is bigger than your Garmins, TomToms and iPhones. These devices might already work just fine if Lightsquared operations are confined to the lower half of their spectrum. They only require about 2 MHz of GPS spectrum to provide acceptable personal positioning. That's a realizable filtering problem.
The testing of November 2011 actually indicates many of those devices continue working as is. Failed consumer devices might very well be redesigned and marketable within a year or so.
Lightsquared needs to get past the FAA, DoD and scientific users. That is the equipment where wider filters are required to improve precision and reduce multipath. The required shape factors and environmental stability for these filters are a more daunting design challenge.
JAVAD has demonstrated a precision receiver claimed to be Lightsquared compatible. But don't buy Lightsquared's claims the interference problem is resolved. What has been demonstrated is, if only the lower network channel is operating, the problem appears to be solvable. There remains a problem in binging a half million (or so) fielded receivers into compliance.
Lightsquared's show stopping nemesis is aviation. Testing has indicated lower channel signals degrade GPS avionics .. a terrain avoidance system recently making news. Avionics cannot be modified without triggering lengthy certification rituals.
--- CHAS |
| wco81 |
Posted - 14 janv. 2012 : 18:49:10
I'm not sympathetic to LS's arguments either.
However, if they got their way, would it be that disastrous? PNDs are cheap now and every year, smart phones and tablets with GPS are probably outselling PNDs by a huge margin.
So would it take that long to turn over the installed base of PNDs and GPS-enabled devices to co-exist with an LTE network as planned by LS?
LS claims GPS devices could have better filtering to work correctly. Not sure if this is a trivial change or would make GPS devices too expensive. But if it's feasible, would it take that long to turn over the installed base?
In return, we'd get another LTE network, which would be a positive thing for the mobile telecom infrastructure in this country. |
| HIPAR |
Posted - 14 janv. 2012 : 17:25:07
Yes, Last act of desperation. They don't like the results of testing so they attempt to discredit those who organized the testing. Did they not have their own technical person looking after their interests during the conduct of testing.
http://www.lightsquared.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Letter-NTIA-EXCOMM.pdf
And they are attempting to dump a load of manure on Professor Parkinson. For those who don't know who he is, he was US Air Force project manager who oversaw the development of GPS way back during the 1970's.
--- CHAS |
| LER |
Posted - 14 janv. 2012 : 04:49:32
And LightSquared, Predictably, cries "BIAS". uh huh, right.....
Buh-bye LS. |
| cleo43 |
Posted - 14 janv. 2012 : 04:41:51
Federal body concludes LightSquared can't work with GPS
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9223447/Federal_body_concludes_LightSquared_can_t_work_with_GPS |
| HIPAR |
Posted - 18 déc. 2011 : 05:30:15
Nobody wants to be responsible for flying an airplane into a mountain so I'd say there's a certain amount of theater citing disruption of terrain avoidance systems. However, FAA can present statistics proving controlled flight into terrain is a rare occurrence since aircraft were equipped with these systems.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controlled_flight_into_terrain
Let's observe Lightsquared's creativity spinning their way out of this one.
--- CHAS
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| gpspassion |
Posted - 16 déc. 2011 : 12:26:51
Not getting any better, I wonder whether that means that these systems use some form of GPS, I would have thought they would be more "radar" based. |
| JGinhisSS |
Posted - 16 déc. 2011 : 04:30:05
DOD and DOT joint statement- LightSquared interferes with terrain avoidance warning in aircraft : quote:
Preliminary analysis of the test findings found no significant interference with cellular phones. However, the testing did show that LightSquared signals caused harmful interference to the majority of other tested general purpose GPS receivers. Separate analysis by the Federal Aviation Administration also found interference with a flight safety system designed to warn pilots of approaching terrain.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2011/dot16411.html |
| gpspassion |
Posted - 13 déc. 2011 : 09:51:34
The battle rages on : LightSquared Slams Leak on GPS Tests, Expects to Win.quote:
...LightSquared believes a government official selectively leaked results from tests of its proposed mobile broadband network to set public opinion against the company, and it is seeking a federal investigation of the apparent leak.
But executives of the fledgling carrier, which plans to build a national LTE (Long Term Evolution) network in spectrum near GPS frequencies, said they are still confident of getting government approval in time to launch the network next year.
"The tide is on our side completely in terms of getting through this process," LightSquared General Counsel Curtis Lu said on a conference call with reporters on Monday.
The company believes the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will be able to make a decision in the first quarter of next year and will rule in LightSquared's favor, said Martin Harriman, executive vice president of ecosystem development and satellite business. LightSquared has said it could launch the network within nine months of receiving government approval.
Oddly enough there are no more comments about the GPS systems being poorly designed in the first place, at least not the way they should have been to filter our interferences from the then empty adjacent frequencies. This seemed to be a valid argument based on what I'd heard. I guess it's a bit of a mooth point anyway as the receivers are out there now and can't be degraded by the LS network. |
| JGinhisSS |
Posted - 17 sept. 2011 : 05:22:07
Air Force general pressured to change testimony
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/15/lightsquared-did-white-house-pressure-general-shelton-to-help-donor.html |
| HIPAR |
Posted - 24 juil. 2011 : 17:45:10
The European Commission has finally commented on Lightsquared's potential to disrupt GNSS receivers. Evidently, they have performed Galileo interference testing:
http://www.insidegnss.com/node/2692
Here's the skillfully written letter addressed directly to FCC Commissioner Genachowski:
http://licensing.fcc.gov/myibfs/download.do?attachment_key=906632
Where is the Russian Federation? Success of everyone's Global Navigation Satellite System depends upon global access. There might also be 'back channel' diplomatic activities relating to this matter.
--- CHAS |
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