The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is continuing to dispute a unanimous decision in April by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to grant Ligado access to a spectrum band adjacent to a band used by the Defense Department (DoD) for Global Positioning System (GPS).
NTIA – which oversees the use of spectrum by Federal agencies, including DoD – stated its position in a reply to Ligado’s opposition to NTIA’s petitions filed in May.
“The Commission committed in 2005 to coordinate – not merely ‘consult’ – with NTIA and other government agencies if ‘any change’ is requested,” the NTIA reply said. The NTIA “was unable to recommend the Commission’s approval of the Ligado applications,” according to a letter sent to the FCC nine days before the Commission’s authorization.