RESTON, VA. May 9, 2019 – Ligado Networks CEO Doug Smith issued the following statement on today’s unanimous vote by the FCC to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to reallocate the 1675–1680 MHz band for non-federal terrestrial mobile use on a shared basis with federal users:
“Today, the FCC joined together to take an important step to free up vital mid-band spectrum and help secure American digital superiority in 5G. Under Chairman Pai’s leadership, this FCC is working hard to identify opportunities to make mid-band spectrum available, and the NPRM on 1675–1680 MHz will help deliver on the promise of developing and deploying 5G in the U.S. as soon as possible. We applaud the Commissioners’ commitment to make our nation first in next-generation technologies through a free market approach that encourages private sector investment and innovation.
“The NPRM proposes a plan to repurpose this spectrum while protecting federal weather systems and advancing our national priorities. This proposal is a win-win for the American public and will drive innovation, investment and job creation. It will open up critical mid-band spectrum and also lead to distribution of critical weather data more reliably to more people, institutions and research centers across the country at a small fraction of the expense facing these entities today.
“Reallocating this 5 MHz band to shared terrestrial use is an essential component of Ligado’s spectrum plan to make 40 MHz of lower mid-band frequencies available for 5G applications. We are glad to see the first step of that plan taken by the FCC today, and we look forward to participating in the comment process so that the Commission can rapidly move to final rules. We are prepared to fully invest in this band as well as in our 35 MHz of licensed L-band spectrum to advance next-generation technologies and ensure industries across every part of the country benefit from the promise of 5G.”
For additional comments about the Ligado Networks plan, see this video featuring CEO Doug Smith.
About Ligado Networks
Making connections is Ligado’s core mission. Our vision is to modernize American infrastructure by connecting the Industrial Internet of Things. With our current state-of-the-art satellite technology and plans to deploy Custom Private Networks for the businesses that keep this country running, we’re paving the way for future innovations.
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For further information:
Ligado Networks Media Contact:
Ashley Durmer, SVP, Government Relations & Corporate Communications
Tel: 703-390-2008
Ashley@ligado.com