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Networks
20 Mar 2024 | 53
The GPS problem is fixed for a very specific definition of fixed.
Yes, they tested new GPS systems what will work with the lightsquared lower band.
That still requires every high precision GPS in the USA to undergo an expensive retrofit of the antenna and amplifier or in most cases be completely replaced. These are units that sell for tens of thousands of dollars, your looking at a minimum of hundreds, possibly thousands of dollars per unit.
Who would pay that cost? FCC rules indicate Lightsquared should pay and Lightsquared claim the GPS companies should pay.
There is then the issue of having to re-certify all the aviation receivers after they have been updated. That will take a lot of time and money.
And after all of that Lightsquared still plan to use their upper band in a couple of years, there is no existing technical fix for that yet if one is even possible. So having replaced all the high end GPS systems we will be in exactly the same situation again in two-three years when they want to switch on the second band.
Any money spent to replace hardware with systems that work with the lower lightsquared band but not the upper one is being thrown away unless there is a permanent band on the upper band being used, something GPS companies have asked for but lightsquared are resisting.
Lightsquared are rushing to sign up partners, probably by offering them amazingly good terms, so that they can claim lots of businesses depend on them as part of their lobbying. They are trying to be too big to allow to fail before they even have a product to sell.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
