I caught up with Dr. William Webb, former director of Ofcom, the telecom regulator of the United Kingdom where he led the Spectrum Framework Review, the development of Spectrum Usage Rights, and the UK white space policy. As CEO of Weightless SIG, he led a standards body for global M2M technology. He now consults. Webb has...

Ligado has taken steps to ensure compatibility as a good spectrum neighbor. Technology has evolved, and federal decision-makers should as well.  If we want the advanced technologies that will grow our economy, we need to allow investment. It’s not enough to talk about building tomorrow’s 5G infrastructure: the federal government needs to do its part so that the innovators and investors can get the job done.

Ligado has proven that it is a good partner, and it will take ample steps to mitigate potential harm. It has addressed the concerns of other parties, including offering proven plans to upgrade outdated equipment to achieve better outcomes. The company deserves the right to try, and the many industries, millions of consumers, and thousands of potential employees, deserve to enjoy this next generation technology – as well as better and more resilient GPS systems.  As the private sector has stepped up, now it’s time for the government to do its part.

Now the company is proposing to make a multi-billion dollar investment in new business-oriented mobile services. Over the next three to five years, Ligado plans to build an integrated advanced satellite and terrestrial network to support autonomous vehicles, commercial drones, and connected ports and rail systems.