In a letter filed with the FCC, Ligado Networks CEO Doug Smith responded to claims made in a communication from NTIA Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Douglas Kinkoph, saying: “The December 6, 2019 letter from NTIA Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary Douglas Kinkoph in this proceeding leads with a stunning and absurd suggestion: that plenty of spectrum is available for 5G and that no more spectrum is needed.”
“That statement puts the Department of Commerce at odds with the White House, Chairman Pai, and all of the other FCC Commissioners, bipartisan spectrum leadership in Congress, and the entire wireless industry. It is clear to everyone but the Department of Commerce that more spectrum is needed for 5G, and as leading 5G equipment manufacturers have stated in this proceeding, Ligado’s spectrum can help facilitate the 5G transition,” Smith said in the letter.
Smith notes that Ligado’s applications have been pending for four years at the Commission and he said now the agency can move forward and free up 40 megahertz of mid-band spectrum for 5G. “At this juncture, no one can doubt that the record is complete. It is time to bring an end to the irregular and unreasonable delay caused by some Executive Branch entities that has plagued this proceeding, just as it has plagued other important FCC spectrum initiatives,” Smith stated.
In a statement Monday, Wireless Infrastructure Association President/CEO Jonathan Adelstein said: “At this critical juncture in the transition to 5G, WIA continues to support the need to put into use Ligado Networks’ critical mid-band spectrum. The concerns raised by the NTIA letter have already been addressed by Ligado and there does not seem to be any need to slow this process down or make it even more difficult to repurpose any spectrum for commercial next-gen wireless systems.”
“Ligado’s proposed use of the L-band would provide new opportunities for infrastructure investment, deployment, and connectivity for Americans across the country,” Adelstein explained. “We understand Chairman Pai has a proposed resolution, and we urge the Commission to move this forward as soon as possible.”
December 10, 2019
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