New LightSquared Reaches Agreement on Spectrum Use for
L-Band with Deere & Company; Agreement Sets Parameters
for GPS and Broadband Compatibility
LightSquared reached agreement with Deere &
Company on spectrum use parameters for terrestrial
service in the L-Band relating to the company’s licenses
as regulated by the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC). The agreement marks the end of a number of
disputes between the parties over the mobile operator’s
use of spectrum for ground-based wireless broadband
services. Under the agreement, New LightSquared agreed
to reduce out-of-band emissions from currently
authorized levels and to file a request at the FCC
forgoing terrestrial use on parts of the spectrum.
Subject to these network commitments, Deere agreed not
to object to the new company’s terrestrial deployment
plans. As part of this agreement, the parties also
finalized settlement of a lawsuit involving claims
between the parties.
In announcing the agreement and settlement, Doug Smith, the
company’s chief executive officer, stated, “We are glad to
finally find resolution to these important spectrum issues and
are pleased to reach an end to the case against Deere. We will
provide increased protections for Deere’s interests by agreeing
to power levels on our uplink and downlink frequencies, dialing
down our out of band emissions, and by requesting that the FCC
modify our license to forgo terrestrial use of the downlink band
closest to the GPS signal. Because of these commitments to
protect GPS interests, we are pleased that Deere will not object
to the new company’s use of its spectrum located between
1627-1680 MHz and the band at 1526-1536 MHz for terrestrial
service.”
Smith added, “We believe this agreement sets forth the
framework that enables GPS and broadband to peacefully coexist,
and we will continue to work with industry and government
stakeholders to reach consensus that enables this spectrum to be
utilized.”
As part of the agreement, New LightSquared will make filings
at the FCC that commit to conditions on spectrum use and uplink
and downlink limits, and Deere agrees it will not object to the
company’s deployment of a network in the spectrum bands
1526-1536 MHz, 1627.5-1637.5 MHz, 1646.5-1656.5 MHz and
1670-1700 MHz, as long as such deployment is consistent with the
operational parameters agreed to by the companies in the
agreement.
The company’s lawsuit against Deere and others was filed on
November 1, 2013 in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the
Southern District of New York and later transferred to the
District Court. Deere & Company is the world’s largest
manufacturer of agricultural equipment and a leading
manufacturer of equipment for construction, forestry and turf
care.
New LightSquared is a mobile operator focused on increasing
capacity and expanding coverage for American wireless consumers.
Utilizing its mid-band spectrum resources, the new company plans
to be the staging ground for next-generation technologies while
strengthening the existing wireless ecosystem. Since 1996, the
company has provided satellite-based communications services to
customers throughout North America.
