PLEASANTON OISTRICT OFFICE
5776 STQNERIDGE MALL ROAD. '175
PlEASANTON, CA 94588
1925) 737-4727
STOCKTON DISTRICT OFFICE
2222 GRANO CANAL BOULEVARD, '7
STOCKTON, CAo 95207
(209)47&-8552
WASHINGTON D.C. OFF.ce
1210 LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC. 20515
12021225--1947
May 4, 2011
O!ongrtss of t4t lltnittil §tatts
]f{OU.lit of iRtprt.litntatiut.li ,,1{.
Ba.liqington, ro 20515-0511 00 '1
\0r(~
Chairman Julius Genachowski
Federal Communications Commission
445 12
th
Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
VETERANS' AFFAIRS
CQMMmEES
SCIENCE. SPACE, AND
TECHNOLOGY
JERRY McNERNEY
11 Ttl DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA
Dear Chairman Genachowski,
I am writing to bring your attention to concerns about a conditional waiver that was recently
approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on behalfofthe LightSquared
company. The spectrum that was repurposed for LightSquared is directly adjacent to that utilized by
the Global Positioning System (GPS) and is to be used for high-powered ground-based
transmissions. Many companies have expressed their concerns about this repurposing, including
TopCon Positioning in Alameda County, which employs constituents residing in my Congressional
district.
I have heard concerns from many companies that utilize GPS signals to produce applications used in
a myriad of fields, including satellite design, software engineering, and telecommunications
development. These applications are used by industry and government agencies alike.
Many companies rely on GPS signals, which are weak. Any interference with these signals can
cause their failure, and LightSquared's signals are vastly more powerful than GPS signals. It is my
understanding that LightSquared did not go through the normal process for spectrum reallocation,
which involves interference studies. GPS users are understandably concerned that granting a final
waiver to LightSquared without considering interference to adjacent spectrum could potentially cause
serious damage to their businesses.
f request that you require an objective, comprehensive interference study before granting a final
waiver to LightSquared in order to make sure that GPS signals are fully protected. It is crucial to
TopCon and many other employers that the spectrum reallocation rules administered by the FCC are
applied fairly and sensibly so that all businesses receive equitable treatment. I believe that a
mutually beneficial solution to this issue can be found to the satisfaction ofall stakeholders.
Thank you for keeping my concerns in mind as you make a final ruling.
Sincerely,
PRINTED ON RECYClED PAJ'£R