Ligado approaches Canada for spectrum permission, comments sought

News from CANSPACE Listserv

The Canadian Positioning, Navigation and Timing Office (PNTO) is warning stakeholders that Ligado has asked the Canadian government for access to spectrum that neighbors that of GNSS services. The request has long been a major issue in the United States because of the risk of radio frequency interference for GNSS users.

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Innovation, Science and Economic Development’s (ISED) Spectrum Management and Telecommunications team announced on Aug. 19 a Notice of Application from Ligado Networks. The application seeks authority for providing terrestrial mobile services in the L-band (1526-1536 MHz in the MSS downlink, and 1627.5-1637.5 MHz and 1646.5-1656.5 MHz in the MSS uplink).

In its application, Ligado Canada is requesting that ISED adopt similar operational requirements and technical rules as those of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. The rules are spelled out in 2020 FCC order  20-48, “FCC Ligado Amendment to License Modification Applications.” The operational requirements would allow Ligado Canada to provide ancillary terrestrial mobile services over specific portions of its licensed MSS spectrum.

Interested stakeholders can submit comments until Oct. 18 on ISED’s website. Respondents are requested to email their comments in Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF to spectrumengineering-genieduspectre@ised-isde.gc.ca.

CANSPACE Listserv is a service of Canadian Space Geodesy Forum and is administered by Dr. Richard Langley.