About the Satellite Safety Alliance:
The Satellite Safety Alliance is a group of likeminded associations, satellite communications (SATCOM) providers and users, and academics working together to keep our world safe and productive. The alliance seeks to protect critical satellite communications services whose operations are under threat from harmful interference by a misguided proposal from Ligado Networks (Ligado) to insert a terrestrial-only service in the middle of a satellite spectrum band. As providers and users of GPS and satellite services, the Satellite Safety Alliance opposes the approval of Ligado’s proposal.
Ligado, the re-branded Lightsquared, has asked the FCC for permission to “rezone” its satellite spectrum licenses so they could be used for land-based mobile wireless broadband service. But Ligado’s plan threatens to interfere with critical services provided by the SATCOM, aviation and real-time environmental satellite data communities, which depend upon interference-free operations in spectrum next door. These critical services are too important to jeopardize. The billions in investments made by satellite companies and the GPS industry, and the services procured by entities who rely on their service, were made in reliance on an assumption that the government will ensure their operations are protected. In fact, the law requires it. These investments cannot be stranded at the request of one company with a history of instability. That’s why the Satellite Safety Alliance has formed: keep the public safe and productive by assuring Ligado’s proposed plans do not hurt consumers and businesses.
More about our members:
We are organizations and companies representing critical GPS, satellite communications services, aviation navigation equipment and essential weather and other environmental services that keep the world safe and productive.
Frequently Asked Questions:
WHAT IS THE SATELLITE SAFETY ALLIANCE?
The Satellite Safety Alliance is a broad-based group of companies, organizations and institutions who rely on GPS, satellite communications services, aviation navigation equipment and essential weather and other environmental data to keep the world safe, connected anytime and anywhere, and contributing to the nation’s economic growth.
WHY NOW?
Ligado, the re-branded LightSquared, has asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to approve its application to modify its Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC) authorization to operate a terrestrial-only service in the middle of a satellite spectrum neighborhood. Multiple studies have shown this will cause massive interference to Ligado’s satellite neighbors. If the FCC authorizes Ligado’s proposal, existing services provided by the SATCOM, aviation and real-time environmental satellite data communities will be jeopardized.
Harmful interference in this case does not mean slower Wi-Fi. It’s less safe airline travel, the disruption of critical weather systems, the degradation of emergency communications, and a loss of millions of machine-to-machine communications used daily by numerous companies and industries.
WHO IS LEADING THE SATELLITE SAFETY ALLIANCE?
We are organizations and companies within the aviation and GPS industries, satellite communications industry, and weather/environmental data users, who all produce and rely on uninterrupted, reliable satellite communications. We are equally committed to protecting our satellite spectrum rights and ensuring the continued reliable availability of essential satellite services.
IS THERE A SOLUTION?
Yes, it is critical that Ligado’s (formerly LightSquared) proposal to operate a terrestrial network in the middle of a satellite neighborhood be rejected. This does not mean they cannot use their spectrum. To the contrary, Ligado is licensed today by the FCC to operate a satellite service and can continue to do so going forward. That solution may not be what Ligado’s hedge fund investors prefer, but the decision here must be based on the law, not securing profits.
WHAT WILL THE SATELLITE SAFETY ALLIANCE DO?
The Satellite Safety Alliance will fight to ensure that the FCC puts the public’s interest first, to ensure critical aviation, weather-related, and GPS services, are not placed at risk, jeopardizing the safety and productivity of millions of Americans.
WHO WILL BENEFIT IF YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS?
Everyone. While they may not realize it, virtually every American benefits every day - directly and indirectly - from the services provided by GPS and satellite communications. The Satellite Safety Alliance’s one and only goal is to prevent any interference that would eliminate these benefits from American consumers and businesses.
The billions in investments made by satellite companies and the GPS industry, and the services procured by entities that rely on GPS and satellite communications, were made in reliance on an assumption that the government will ensure their operations are protected. These investments cannot be stranded at the request of one company with a history of instability and a new business plan every six months, the end goal of which, many experts believe, is to sell the spectrum to the highest bidder once the FCC approves their terrestrial-only application.
GPS provides safety services and contributes at least $65 billion directly to the US economy. The total impact of the loss of GPS is estimated to be over $3 billion per day for a five-day outage.
$3 billion Iridium NEXT investment in next generation satellite technology; substantial investment by aviation and maritime industries in services dependent on Iridium connectivity
$11 billion in NOAA GOES satellites and a weather/environmental data community that has invested substantially in new applications and services using the data from these satellites.
WHAT CAN I DO TO GET INVOLVED WITH THE SATELLITE SAFETY ALLIANCE?
You can get involved by contacting us at contact@safesatellite.org.