News on LightSquared from BoatUS
     Yacht Club members concerned about LightSquared affecting their ability to navigate using GPS should respond using the link below.

Associated Press report on LightSquared.

NEWS From BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria, VA 22304
BoatUS Press Room at http://www.BoatUS.com/pressroom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com
Photo Available at: http://www.BoatUS.com/pressroom/previewImg/hiRes/763.jpg
Photo Caption: A reliable GPS system is critical for safe navigation, says BoatUS.

BoatUS: Navigation System Concerns Still an Issue
with Latest Move by LightSquared

FCC Extends Public Comment Period Through March 16

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 1, 2012 - Just a few days ago, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) cautioned that America's boaters weren't out of the woods just yet with the possibility of the country's sole electronic navigation system failing as the result of radio signal interference issues from a newly proposed cellular broadband network. Yesterday, the FCC green-lighted an extension of the public comment period to the network's proposed builder, LightSquared, to allow comments through March 16. BoatUS continues to urge boaters and all users of GPS to submit comments to the FCC to ensure the nation's system of global positioning devices keeps Americans safely on course.

"At every turn LightSquared has proven its resiliency to delay the inevitable," said BoatUS President Margaret Podlich. "This latest move is no surprise, and we hope the additional two weeks gives GPS users the chance to have their voice heard," added Podlich.

Last summer, over 18,000 boaters, along with many other GPS users, wrote the FCC asking the guardian of the nation's airwaves to stop plans by LightSquared until independent tests proved there would be no interference with GPS devices which operate on nearby frequencies. LightSquared originally asked the FCC for permission to build 40,000 network ground stations across the country. Recent government reportsconcluded interference issues with the GPS system could not be overcome.

Here is how to file comments to the FCC through their online comment form:

1. Click on this link for the FCC's Electronic Comments Filing System: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/hotdocket/list
2. Select "Proceeding Number 11-109."
3. Enter contact information.
4. In the box that says "Type in or paste your brief comments," here are some important points to select from:

Explain how you use GPS in your life - on the water, on land or in the air.
What would happen to your business/personal life if GPS became unavailable or unreliable?
Wireless broadband service is important, but it should not come at the expense of GPS.
All the studies show that LightSquared's proposed network would cause interference and that there are no remedies.
Tell the FCC that you rely on them to protect the integrity of the GPS signal and that you support their recommendation to stop LightSquared's current proposal.
5. Click "Continue."
6. If the review page is correct, click "Confirm." Done!

If you have any trouble, you may contact the FCC ECFS Helpdesk at 202-418-0193 or email at ecfshelp@fcc.gov.

About BoatUS:

BoatUS - Boat Owners Association of The United States - is the nation's leading advocate for recreational boaters providing over half a million members with government representation, programs and money-saving services. For membership information visit www.BoatUS.com or call 800-395-2628.

The associated press reports  (2/15/12):

NEW YORK — Federal officials plan to kill a private company's plans to start a national high-speed wireless broadband network after concluding it would in some cases jam personal-navigation and other GPS devices.

The Federal Communications Commission said it will seek public comment as early as Tuesday on revoking LightSquared's permit after a federal agency that coordinates wireless signals, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, concluded that there's no way to mitigate potential interference.

When the FCC gave LightSquared tentative approval last year to build the network, it said the company won't be allowed to start operations until the government was satisfied that any problems are addressed. LightSquared and the FCC had insisted the new network could co-exist with GPS systems.

Device makers, however, feared that GPS signals would suffer the way a radio station can get drowned out by a stronger broadcast in a nearby channel. The problem is that sensitive GPS receivers, designed to pick up relatively weak signals from space, could be overwhelmed by high-power signals from as many as 40,000 LightSquared transmitters on the ground. LightSquared planned to transmit on a frequency adjacent to that used by GPS.

After conducting tests, the NTIA said Monday that it found interference with dozens of personal-navigation devices and aircraft-control systems that rely on GPS.

The agency said that new technology in the future might mitigate the problems, but it would take time and money to replace GPS equipment already used extensively in the U.S. The NTIA, a branch of the Commerce Department, also said adjustments to LightSquared's network could cost billions of dollars and might not solve all of the problems.

Virginia-based LightSquared had no immediate comment Tuesday.

LightSquared had hoped to compete nationally with super-fast, fourth-generation wireless services being rolled out AT&T, Verizon Wireless and other traditional wireless companies. It hadn't planned to sell directly to consumers. Rather, it would have provided network access to companies including Leap Wireless, parent of the Cricket phone service, and Best Buy, which planned to rebrand the service under its own name.

Making more airwaves available has been one of the FCC's top goals. Wireless companies have been clamoring for greater ability to feed consumers' appetites for movies, music and games on a variety of mobile devices.

FCC spokeswoman Tammy Sun said the experience with LightSquared "revealed challenges to maximizing the opportunities of mobile broadband for our economy."