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obtaining final approval from the FCC for its use of that portion of the L-Band spec-trum adjacent to the GPA portion, Light- Squared announced recently that it willutilize another part of the spectrum that itasserts will virtually eliminate interferencewith GPS signals. It also proposes to re-duce the maximum authorized power of its base-station transmitters by more than 50%.LightSquared, though, is not surrenderingits claim to later utilize its previously-pro- posed L-band transmissions. In its com-munications with the FCC, LightSquaredalso stressed the need for precision GPS re-ceiver manufacturers to cooperate with LightSquared to produce solutions thatwould enable the coexistence of Light- Squared?s proposed LTE broadband net- work and precision GPS receivers that are designed to ?listen? across the MSS L-band. The matter is now in the hands of the FCC to rule on the modified LightSquared license application. As of the date of this writing, 370 comments have been submit- ted to the FCC docket for LightSquared?s application (number 11-109) and it is diffi- cult to find any comment that is not in op- position.The positioning, navigation, and timing functions of GPS have become highly ingrained into the economy of theUnited States and the world. It is difficult to justify the business plan of LightSquared if that plan would adversely impact the Global Positioning System. In accordancewith current FCC regulations, Light- Squared should be required to limit its useof terrestrial transmissions to those that areancillary to its satellite transmissions and toclearly demonstrate that its proposal would not have an adverse effect on established uses of GPS before the FCC moves forward on consideration of its license application.August 2011www.marinelink.com 19MR Aug. 11 # 3 (18-24):MR Template 8/8/2011 11:49 AM Page 19