September 9, 2016–Ligado Networks LLC representatives detailed the company’s business plan for FCC officials in a recent meeting, contrasting the plan with that of predecessor company LightSquared.

In an ex parte filing yesterday in IB docket 11-109, Ligado said it “updated the Commission on Ligado’s business plan for the advanced satellite-terrestrial network the Modification Applications are intended to enable. In stark contrast to the 4G coverage network proposed by Ligado’s predecessor company, Ligado’s proposed network would focus on delivering pervasive, highly secure, and ultra-reliable connectivity to serve mission-critical Internet of Things applications and the emerging 5G market, particularly in critical infrastructure industry sectors such as rail, trucking, aviation, public safety, and oil and gas.

“For instance, the combination of satellite coverage everywhere with the high payload capacity of a ground-based network offers an attractive platform for critical applications such as Positive Train Control and high-value asset tracking,” the filing added. “Given its current vision, Ligado expects to deploy a customized ground-based network with approximately 10,000 to 20,000 base stations — less than half as many as the coverage network proposed by Ligado’s predecessor — and many of these customized deployments would be micro sites and operate at reduced power.”

Ligado also said “that, with the recent closing of the comment cycle in the parallel rulemaking proceeding considering the proposal to share the 1675-1680 MHz band with commercial use, the record in that proceeding is now complete and supports the prompt issuance of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to consider any remaining stakeholder issues, reach a decision on the shared use of the band, and establish the related service rules and auction methodology.” – Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily