Posted on 02/24/2012 1:06:13 PM PST by Nachum
Broadband company LightSquared’s CEO made a maximum-allowable political donation to the Democratic Party on the same day his lawyers were trying to arrange a meeting between him and top White House technology officials, records and emails obtained by The Daily Caller show. Those same records also show a questionable inconsistency, listing the CEO’s employer as a company he hadn’t worked for in a decade.The requests and donation came soon after President Barack Obama’s Federal Communications Commission successfully propped up LightSquared, and subsequently demolished its competitor GlobalStar with regulatory muscle.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailycaller.com ...
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Can you please provide information on how the administration acted against Globalstar? I don’t see anything from a simple Google search for news sources.
LightSquared screwed the pooch ...
FCC just recently denied LS’s appliction for a license to provide Internet access via satellites.
Turns out that government studies indicate that the spectrum LS was going to use is TOO CLOSE to the GPS spectrum. LS will whack out the GPS system since it needs to operate at a shitload of power in order to deliver its Internet service.
LS claimed that its system DID NOT interfere with GPS - but at least 2 government studies showed otherwise. LS THEN tried to contend that the GPS services could modify THEIR systems and hardware to be compatible with LS.
NOW, I suspect that LS is gonna try to get Obama to try to circumvent the application process with the FCC - BUT THAT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN ...
Obama is laffin’ all the way to the bank with LS’s cash donations ...
Well, if he throw in another $30K maybe he get to be ambassador to Haiti or Liechtenstein or sumting
Expeshially if he got a vacation bouse on the ski slopes or at the beach or sumtin wit room for Mooch and her posse
LS is planning to do satellite and base station. It's the base stations that are the issue.
Turns out that government studies indicate that the spectrum LS was going to use is TOO CLOSE to the GPS spectrum.
They knew it was close all along, such as way back in 2004 LS got permission for the 1525-1559 MHz spectrum.
LS will whack out the GPS system since it needs to operate at a shitload of power in order to deliver its Internet service.
LS will interfere with GPS because most GPS receivers were built with the assumption that there is no traffic next door on the spectrum, and thus are susceptible to interference from that adjacent spectrum.
When you build your driveway across the empty adjacent lot, don't complain when people move in and tear out your driveway to build their house.
LS THEN tried to contend that the GPS services could modify THEIR systems and hardware to be compatible with LS.
Yes, they are saying that maybe GPS manufacturers could STOP LISTENING TO THE ADJACENT SPECTRUM, and listen to only theirs.
I actually worked for Sanjiv some years ago. A good guy; but no one is Superman...
Don't bet on it. GPS is essential for everything from guiding military smart bombs, airline navigation, and synchronizing telecommunications equipment [landlines, cell phones, ISPs, etc.].
And IF LS DOES get approval - AND an airliner crashes due to LS interference. you know what Obama is gonna say ... ?
"Bush's fault ..."
They knew it was close all along, such as way back in 2004 LS got permission for the 1525-1559 MHz spectrum.
LS will interfere with GPS because most GPS receivers were built with the assumption that there is no traffic next door on the spectrum, and thus are susceptible to interference from that adjacent spectrum.
When you build your driveway across the empty adjacent lot, don't complain when people move in and tear out your driveway to build their house.
Yes, they are saying that maybe GPS manufacturers could STOP LISTENING TO THE ADJACENT SPECTRUM, and listen to only theirs.
Good points you make, no doubt. But, my point is that no matter how much lipstick you put on a pig - its STILL a pig ...
I am NOT focusing strictly on Obama, but back in 2004, the potential problems with LS were theoretical and NOT proven. Now, they are. It was prudent to allow LS to go forward at the time - just as NOW prudent to deny them the license, since the problems have been verified.
LS knew the risk in 2004, and when youse pay your money - youse take yer chances.
To say that EVERYBODY else can modify their equipment is ludicrous. Who is gonna pay the cost? Not everything can be done remotely via a software download.
For example, I engineered a network for a Competitive Local Exchange Carrier [CLEC] - with equipment in 122 Verizon Central Offices in 7 states. Thats about 20% penetration.
The GPS Stratum 1 Timing/Network Timing Protocol [NTP] systems I had installed are gonna require a chip change in each unit if LS gets its way. AND, Verizon technicians DON'T do that work - MY three techs have to do it.
I estimate approximately 4000-5000 man-hours to do the work, warehouse support, driving time, per diem, etc. Its gonna cost approximately $100-$150K.
IS LS GONNA REIMBURSE MY COMPANY FOR THIS JUST SO THEY CAN PROVIDE SERVICE? NO!
And this is JUST one company - think of ALL the others who are potentially affected ...
There is nothing curious about bribery of public officials.
It is criminal.
But the problem isn't with LS, it's with GPS receivers. LS has been working with GPS manufacturers for years to try to get them to properly design their receivers so they don't receive LS signals. LS even backed off the first (IIRC) 10 MHz close to GPS to reduce the problem with GPS receivers.
To say that EVERYBODY else can modify their equipment is ludicrous.
You say modify, I say build them properly instead of cutting corners to increase profits. Consumers didn't know they were cutting corners back then, but now this is being exposed.
Ummm ... GPS timing has been around for 20 years, when LS was just a gleam in someone's eye. GPS manufacturers ARE NOT going to offer modifications for hundreds of thousands [if not millions] of GPS device JUST to accomodate LS.
NOW, if LS developed the modifications, ENSURED that EACH AND EVERY device was upgraded, AND PAID for it themselves - BUT, they ain't gonna do it ...
LS bought the spectrum on the ASSUMPTION that they could make it work and not interfere with existing GPS. It doesn't - deal with it ...
Your comments make me think that you have stock options in LS ...
Which is why everyone was fine with GPS devices being susceptible to interference from adjacent bands.
Your comments make me think that you have stock options in LS
I don't like lazy manufacturers screwing the customer and impeding progress. Not only do I not have any LS investment, I'm not on Sprint, the network whose customers would get the high-speed LS data rates.
It's about principle. But in this case principle does run against ugly reality. No matter how wrong the GPS manufacturers are, we are left with the fact that all of those faulty devices are out there and in use and LS turning on the switch would interfere with them.
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