Tag: smartphone

With time, the FCC’s program to move television band frequencies into mobile phone and data markets was scaled back and the timeline stretched out. In 2004 the FCC moved to relax L-Band rules, permitting deployment of a terrestrial mobile network. But in 2012 the FCC yanked LightSquared’s licenses. In reality, the costliest spectrum conflicts emanate from overprotecting old services at the expense of the new. Notably, it has lowered the power of its emissions and has volunteered to leave its frequencies neighboring the GPS band quiet. Yet regulatory impediments continue to block progress. To use radio spectrum, parties must stay in their lanes. The FCC should let Ligado use satellite licenses for cellular services. This would move radio spectrum out of oblivion and into the mobile broadband networks craved by consumers, innovators and the U.S. economy. Just like the National Broadband Plan called for in 2010.