LightSquared Extends SkyTerra-1 Service Through 2015 Despite FCC Ruling
By Jeffrey Hill | March 7, 2012
[Satellite TODAY 03-07-12] LightSquared has extended the emulation phase of its voice MSAT private network carrier and mobile data services over the SkyTerra-1 satellite network through the end of 2015, the wholesale 4G LTE network operator announced March 6.
“Our existing satellite customers will not see any change in service or coverage as a result of recent regulatory events,” LightSquared Vice President of Sales Bryan Hartin said in a statement, referring to the U.S. Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) recent decision to block its spectrum license due to interference issues.
LightSquared said it would continue evaluating whether or not it would extend its current generation services beyond 2015 and is working to finalize its plans for launching next-generation satellite services.
“LightSquared’s next-generation customers will be able to take advantage of the SkyTerra-1 advanced spot beam coverage capability to utilize the LightSquared L-band spectrum more efficiently, resulting in significantly reduced device size and cost,” Hartin added.