LightSquared appears frustrated by a new round of
interference tests requested by the Federal Communications Commission.
“We understand that some in the telecom sector fear the challenges for their business model that LightSquared presents,” said Sanjiv Ahuja, LightSquared chairman and CEO. “We understand the opposition of some in the GPS industry; many of their devices “squat” on someone else’s spectrum and while technological fixes are readily available, some companies are loath to make the necessary engineering changes and would instead prefer to get access to someone else’s spectrum for free.”
One new factor might be that a key House Republican on Thursday called for an investigation into whether White House officials helped LightSquared, a start-up wireless company, with its proposal for a new national wireless network.
Rep. Michael Turner (R. Ohio), a top member of the House Armed Services Committee, said he is asking a House investigations committee to look into the issue.
Given apparently growing concern about impropriety, if not criminal activity in regard to White House support for public investments in bankrupt “green energy” firm Solyndra, the new move might throw yet another delay into LightSquared’s plans for getting going on its network.
A $535 million government loan guarantee so prized by the solar-panel maker may have ultimately contributed to the company's undoing, say investors with knowledge of the company's operations, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The new hiccup is one more hurdle for LightSquared, which apparently still has not been able to quell objections over interference raised by the GPS industry and national security concerns.
Gary Kim is a contributing editor for MobilityTechzone. To read more of Gary’s articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Jennifer Russell 
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