Comments on: Weeks, months, years… https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/ Satellites, spectrum and other stuff Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:36:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: timfarrar https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/comment-page-1/#comment-580 timfarrar Fri, 24 Jun 2011 02:05:56 +0000 http://tmfassociates.com/blog/?p=2099#comment-580 LightSquared's current plan is to go ahead in the lower L-band. As noted above they expect to complete their testing in the next few weeks and presumably hope that the FCC will deem this sufficient. They expect Inmarsat to make this lower L-band spectrum available next year. Is there a contingency plan if Congress stops them from going forward in the L-band at all? I don't know, but we probably won't reach that point before the TerreStar auction anyway. LightSquared’s current plan is to go ahead in the lower L-band. As noted above they expect to complete their testing in the next few weeks and presumably hope that the FCC will deem this sufficient. They expect Inmarsat to make this lower L-band spectrum available next year.

Is there a contingency plan if Congress stops them from going forward in the L-band at all? I don’t know, but we probably won’t reach that point before the TerreStar auction anyway.

]]> By: sandy_s157 https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/comment-page-1/#comment-579 sandy_s157 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:53:06 +0000 http://tmfassociates.com/blog/?p=2099#comment-579 But they plan to roll out the LTE services by next year. Can they wait that long for the spectrum to be made available? Also just saw this. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2387521,00.asp Does not seem that it will be easy for FCC to approve LS to use L-band. But they plan to roll out the LTE services by next year. Can they wait that long for the spectrum to be made available?

Also just saw this.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2387521,00.asp

Does not seem that it will be easy for FCC to approve LS to use L-band.

]]> By: timfarrar https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/comment-page-1/#comment-578 timfarrar Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:51:13 +0000 http://tmfassociates.com/blog/?p=2099#comment-578 The affordability of AWS-3 spectrum is unknown. It will depend on the conditions placed on that spectrum. Unpaired spectrum is usually cheaper than paired spectrum. If it survives LightSquared might also be better able to raise money to buy this spectrum in a couple of years time. While an AWS-3 "spectrum swap" (in exchange for not using the upper L-band) could be difficult politically, it can't be ruled out either. The affordability of AWS-3 spectrum is unknown. It will depend on the conditions placed on that spectrum. Unpaired spectrum is usually cheaper than paired spectrum. If it survives LightSquared might also be better able to raise money to buy this spectrum in a couple of years time. While an AWS-3 “spectrum swap” (in exchange for not using the upper L-band) could be difficult politically, it can’t be ruled out either.

]]> By: sandy_s157 https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/comment-page-1/#comment-577 sandy_s157 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:42:40 +0000 http://tmfassociates.com/blog/?p=2099#comment-577 Given the affordability, in that case, they will never be able to afford AWS-3 spectrum. From what I see, the only viable option for LightSquared is to get Terrestar spectrum but as you said they need a good partner. Do you think LS+Metro PCS can bid after LS+Sprint deal? Given the affordability, in that case, they will never be able to afford AWS-3 spectrum. From what I see, the only viable option for LightSquared is to get Terrestar spectrum but as you said they need a good partner. Do you think LS+Metro PCS can bid after LS+Sprint deal?

]]> By: timfarrar https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/comment-page-1/#comment-576 timfarrar Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:38:53 +0000 http://tmfassociates.com/blog/?p=2099#comment-576 That's all true. But if they don't have at least a billion and a half dollars (or a partner with similar resources) they can't buy TerreStar's spectrum either. That’s all true. But if they don’t have at least a billion and a half dollars (or a partner with similar resources) they can’t buy TerreStar’s spectrum either.

]]> By: sandy_s157 https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/comment-page-1/#comment-575 sandy_s157 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:33:31 +0000 http://tmfassociates.com/blog/?p=2099#comment-575 But what is the guarantee that FCC will approve of L-band after this report and given so many objections? Also the Inmarsat does not seem to be completely agnostic of GPS interference. What other option LS have? You mentioned AWS-3 spectrum but again that is expensive and will take significant time. The only clean option they seem to have is the Terrestar spectrum. But what is the guarantee that FCC will approve of L-band after this report and given so many objections? Also the Inmarsat does not seem to be completely agnostic of GPS interference.

What other option LS have? You mentioned AWS-3 spectrum but again that is expensive and will take significant time. The only clean option they seem to have is the Terrestar spectrum.

]]> By: timfarrar https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/comment-page-1/#comment-574 timfarrar Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:26:23 +0000 http://tmfassociates.com/blog/?p=2099#comment-574 I assumed one reason for the delay until after the TerreStar auction concluded might be that LightSquared proposed solution could differ depending on whether or not they had access to TerreStar's spectrum. The fact that the report will apparently now be submitted before the auction result is known (unless there are no bidders in which case DISH will win) suggests that LightSquared/Harbinger do not intend to try and outbid DISH in order to use TerreStar's spectrum as an alternative to the L-band. I assumed one reason for the delay until after the TerreStar auction concluded might be that LightSquared proposed solution could differ depending on whether or not they had access to TerreStar’s spectrum. The fact that the report will apparently now be submitted before the auction result is known (unless there are no bidders in which case DISH will win) suggests that LightSquared/Harbinger do not intend to try and outbid DISH in order to use TerreStar’s spectrum as an alternative to the L-band.

]]> By: sandy_s157 https://tmfassociates.com/blog/2011/06/23/weeks-months-years/comment-page-1/#comment-573 sandy_s157 Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:11:14 +0000 http://tmfassociates.com/blog/?p=2099#comment-573 What do you mean by "LightSquared has now indicated that it intends to submit the GPS interference report to the FCC on June 29, apparently pouring cold water on the idea that it might intend to bid for TerreStar in the bankruptcy auction on June 30. " ? Does this mean that the June 29th report to FCC will be enough to convince them and LightSquared does not need to bid for Terrestar anymore? Can you clarify a bit more on your statement? What do you mean by

“LightSquared has now indicated that it intends to submit the GPS interference report to the FCC on June 29, apparently pouring cold water on the idea that it might intend to bid for TerreStar in the bankruptcy auction on June 30. ” ?

Does this mean that the June 29th report to FCC will be enough to convince them and LightSquared does not need to bid for Terrestar anymore? Can you clarify a bit more on your statement?

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