Attachment LightSquared -USGPS

This document pretains to SAT-MOD-20101118-00239 for Modification on a Satellite Space Stations filing.

IBFS_SATMOD2010111800239_860609

            w                           '                                             ORIGINAL
L S |LERMAN
     SENTER
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                                            EX PARTE OR LATE FILED
WASHINGTON, DC
                                                                                         STEPHEN D. BARUCH
                                                                                             202.416.6782
                                                                                    SBARUCH@LERMANSENTER.COM



                                            January 7, 2011

                                                                           FILED/acer PT
                                                                                                      ED
Delivery
Marlene H. Dortch                                                               dAN ~7 201
Secretary                                                                Federal Commmnies. LUH
Federal Communications Commission                                           | Qfi,’g}éifigjm“s Commission
445 Twelfth Street, S.W.                                                                 eSecretary
Washington, D.C. 20554

        Re:        Notice of Ex Parte Presentation in LightSquared Subsidiary LLC
                   Application for Modification of Authority for Ancillary Terrestrial
                   Component, File No. SAT—MOD—20101118—00239

Dear Ms. Dortch:


        On January 6, 2011, representatives of the United States GPS Industry Council
and several member companies met with officials from the Commission‘s Office of
Engineering and Technology, International Bureau, Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau, Enforcement Bureau, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, and Media
Bureau to discuss the prospect of harmful interference to the installed user base of L—band
space services from the above—referenced proposal to allow co—primary terrestrial services
to operate in the L—band spectrum allocated to mobile—satellite services. The application
proceeding has been designated to have permit—but—disclose status for purposes of the
Commission‘s ex parte rules.

        The participants (listed on Appendix 1 to this letter) discussed in detail the
material contained in the presentation that is included as Appendix 2 to this letter.

        By this letter, and in accordance with Section 1.1206 of the Commission‘s Rules,
47 C.F.R. § 1.1206, two copies of this letter and its Appendices are provided for inclusion
in the Commuission‘s files.




                        2000 K STREET NW, SUITE 600 | WASHINGTON, DC 20006—1809
                       TEL 202.429.8970 | FAX 202.293.7783 | WWW.LERMANSENTER.COM


L       l    Marlene H. Dortch
 S           January 7, 2011
              Page 2


            Please direct any questions to me.

                                          Respectfully submitted,



                                                     d
                                          Steph¢y D. Baruch
                                          Counsél for the United States GPS Industry Council

    Enclosures


    ce: (w/Enclosures): List of Persons in Appendix 1 (by e—mail)


                                                                    APPENDIX 1

             LIST OF PARTICIPANTS IN JANUARY 6, 2011 MEETING

ECC PARTICIPANTS:                           U.S. GPS Industry Council Participants

Office of Engineering and Technology:   U.S. GPS Industry Council:

Julius Knapp, Chief                     F. Michael Swiek, Executive Director
Walter Johnston                         A.J. von Dierendonck (via teleconference)
Michael Ha
Mark Settle                             Garmin International (via teleconference):
Brett Greenwalt
Geraldine Matise                        Andrew Etkind
Alan Stillwell                          Scott Burgett
Ronald Repasi                           Doug Kealey
                                        Brian Poindexter
International Bureau                    Van Ruggles
                                        Anne Swanson
Mindel De La Torre, Chief               Michael C. Simmons
Robert Nelson
Sankar Persaud                          NovAtel Inc. (via teleconference):
Gardner Foster
                                        Neil Gerein
Public Safety and Homeland Security
Bureau:                                 Trimble Navigation, Ltd. (via teleconference):

Brian Butler                            Ann Ciganer
Gene Fullano                            Bruce Peetz
Pat Amodio
Bill Lane                               Lerman Senter PLLC

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau:     Raul R. Rodriguez (via teleconference)
                                        Stephen D. Baruch
Tom Peters
Paul Murray

Enforcement Bureau:

Emil Cherian
Jim Higgins
Priya Shrinivasan

Media Bureau:

John Gabrysch


APPENDIX 2


Interference To The Installed User Base Of L—Band Space Services
From The Proposal To Allow Co—Primary Terrestrial Services in the
                            MSS L—Band




                                   Presentation to:

                    The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology


                                         By
          The United States Global Positioning System (GPS) Industry Council

                                         On
                                   January 6, 2011


                                 Overview

Rationale for allocation of the L—band to space services
— Introducing Anci/fary Terrestrial Component (ATC) in the L—band
Coordination process and operating conditions proposed for the first ATC license in
2002
— Protection criteria for GPS based on out—of—band emission (OOBE) limits
Proposing a reallocation of L—band from MSS to a primary terrestrial service
— Introduces a different interference problem for the installed GNSS user base
— Needs additional mitigation measures to be taken—beyond OOBE
Possible mitigation techniques
Overview of the installed GPS user base; maximum allowed power at a GNSS receiver
— Three decades of user—driven GPS innovation have resulted in a pervasive public
  and private sector dependency on GPS position, navigation, and timing (PNT)
  information.
Different regulatory treatment for contemplating a change in spectrum use
— FCC NPRM/NOI on broadband;
— FCC File Number SAT—MOD—20101118—00239
Recommendations


                      Rationale For Allocation
             Of The L—band To Space Services

Distinctive physical properties of the L—band include a low loss characteristic through
the atmosphere that makes it uniquely suited to space to ground communications
These physical properties are uniquely suited to the intended functions of:
— Mobile—satellite services (MSS) in 1525—1559 MHz
— Radionavigation Satellite Services (RNSS) in 1559—1610 MHz
MSS and RNSS operate in adjacent bands where the spectrum has been allocated to
space services for several decades:
— Without any terrestrial transmissions
As long as these adjacent bands remain allocated to truly satellite service operations
as the primary service:
— Their spectrum use (noise floor management) and power levels could be moderated
  to avoid interference between satellite services
— Allowing operational "harmony" between a space—based communication service
  (MSS) and a broadcast, receive—only service (RNSS)


Introducing Ancillary Terrestrial Component (ATC)
                   In The L—band

Terrestrial and satellite operations have different physical and geometric characteristics
— Makes it very difficult for the two to co—exist without the terrestrial transmissions interfering with
  the satellite transmissions.
When MSS operators added ATC to complement and augment their space—service in
2002, this augmentation created the potential for significant new interference to
adjacent space services operating in the L—band for:
— MSS operations;
— RNSS operations especially for adjacent GPS operations using the L1 (1559—1610 MHz)
      The GPS L1 is bracketed by MSS operations (1525—1559 MHz and 1626.50 —1660.50 MHz)
      This bracketing raises the GPS noise floor resulting from MSS operations on both sides of GPs L1
According to FCC rules, ATC is a secondary allocation in the L—band allocated to MSS
on a primary basis and is required to operate:
      To not cause interference;
      To accept interference
As adopted, FCC MSS/ATC rules took great care to ensure that ATC providers remain
bona fide satellite service providers by requiring:
      MSS/ATC operators to maintain a ground spare satellite;
      By definition that an MSS/ATC licensee offer an integrated service that requires including MSS in the offering
      to the customer


               The First ATC License In 2002
                 Coordination Process And
           Operating Conditions As Proposed
Mobile Satellite Ventures (MSV), the operator of MSS/ATC in the L—band, began
coordination of its ATC license with the Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee
(IRAC) and the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA):
  MSV originally proposed a single protection limit (—70 dBW/MHz) for GPS operations
  in the adjacent L1 band:
  NTIA and the IRAC members encouraged MSV to confer with members of the GPS
  industry on protection of GPS;
  MSV was the single operator of both the proposed MSS/ATC operations in the L—
  band;
  ATC operations were to be deployed as a gap—filler to augment and extend MSS
  coverage in areas such as urban canyons;
  MSV planned for operation of dual—mode handsets exclusively
  As a practical matter, in making this commitment to exclusive dual—mode handset
  use, MSV had a particular interest not to overwhelm the satellite channels when
  close to an ATC base station.
  None of these considerations speculated on the operation of a primary mobile
  terrestrial broadband communication service.


                    Protection Criteria for GPS
               Out—of—Band Emission (OOBE) Limits
«_   In recognition of the increased potential for interference to adjacent space services,
     when ATC was introduced in the MSS bands, MSV and the U.S. GPS Industry Council
     negotiated an agreement on out—of—band emission (OOBE) limits to protect GPS
     operations in the L1 band:
     — Mobile terrestrial stations must limit their equivalent isotropically radiated power
       (EIRP) to
     — — 95 dBW/MHz for wideband emissions; while narrowband emissions are subject to
       a limit of —105 dBW/kHz
     — Fixed or mobile base stations must adhere to a wideband EIRP density emission
       limit of —100 dBW/MHz; and a narrowband emission limit of — 110 dBW/kHz
e Subsequently, MSV‘s corporate successor, SkyTerra, approached the Council
  concerning its proposal to introduce ATC femtocells for indoor operations and the
  original joint agreement was modified for greater OOBE protection for indoor GPS use:
     — Femtocells operating indoors were agreed to limit EIRP density in the GPS band of
       — 111.7dBW/MHz for one operating; and — 144.7 dBW/MHz when two femtocells are
       in the same room.
In each case, the underlying premise of these agreements is that the L—band operator of
MSS/ATC (first MSV, then SkyTerra) agreed to protect GPS transmissions in the adjacent
RNSS L—band.
                                                                                              6


 Proposing A Reallocation Of L—band From MSS
        To A Primary Terrestrial Service
Application request for modification of its authority for Ancillary Terrestrial Component (FCC File
No. SAT—MOD—20101118—00239) seeks to effectively reinterpret its ATC rules to:
  Operate a co—primary terrestrial wireless service in urban areas:
      By deploying a densely populated network of strong signal transmitters whose emissions would effectively
      blanket entire urban areas;
  While conducting its MSS operations outside of areas where its proposed terrestrial service
  would operate;
  Thus, this application proposes to provide a primarily terrestrial wireless service with ancillary
   MSS, which is the opposite of the original premise of the service embodied in the current rules
   and its L—band license;
   Instead of offering an integrated MSS/ATC handset exclusively as required in its existing ATC
   license, it proposes an integrated MSS/ATC service for which its retailers could choose to offer
   terrestrial handsets only to end—users
The Applicant "estimates that the capacity of its fully deployed terrestrial network across all base
stations will be tens of thousands of times the capacity of either of the Sky Terra satellites":
   Consequently, the physics and dynamics of this newly proposed terrestrial service would radically change
   and degrade the environment in which the adjacent GPS L1 signal operates; the ultimate effect would be
   a loss of GPS service.
In comments filed in FCC ET Docket 10—142 (page 12, para. 1), LightSquared specifically requests
the "Commission could, however, make it substantially easier to implement ATC domestically in the
future by expanding the definition of MSS in its rules to include ATC and thus rendering ATC a
primary service."


  Introduces A Different Interference Problem
      For The Installed GNSS User Base
             In The RNSS L—band

Broadcast satellite signals are very low power at the Earth‘s surface.

Reallocation of the MSS L—band from a primary space—based service
to a primary terrestrial service introduces a fundamental, difficult,
interference problem at the GPS receiver because its ability to filter
strong signals transmitting in nearby bands, while trying to listen to
weak signals, is limited.

Depending on the interference source, the effect on GPS receivers‘
performance can result in desensitization, which prevents the
receiver from functioning properly, and thus constitutes harmful
interference.


              Additional Mitigation Measures
             Need To Be Taken Beyond OOBE
«_ When ATC was first authorized, the OOBE limits were negotiated to
   protect GPS
 These limits were established with the understanding that the
 business and operations plan for ATC was strictly as an infill service
 for where the MSS satellite signal did not reach.
 — With this understanding, GPS got an additional measure of protection
    because areas not served by MSS satellite signals were highly limited in
   scope, and GPS protection would be partly achieved by the interest of MSS
   operators in protecting the integrity of their own satellite signals
 — With the reallocation of the MSS L—band from a space—based service, to a
   primary terrestrial broadcast, this protection and the incentive for it,
   disappears

  Thus, additional mitigation measures will need to be taken beyond the
  established OOBE limits in the existing ATC authorizations.




                                                                               w


                      Possible Mitigation Techniques
«_   Possible techniques to mitigate harmful interference to RNSS from the introduction of
     widely—deployed terrestrial transmitter on a primary basis:

     1. Introduce new terrestrial broadband transmitters as far from mobile satellite
       applications as possible, especially from the RNSS L—1 band at 1559—1610 MHz:
       — Migrate the satellite services closer together and allocate terrestrial services at the edge of
          the satellite grouping as the bands get cleared.
       — The objective of this approach is to keep the two types of distinctly different (space—based
          versus terrestrial) services separate and have an acceptable amount of margin around the
          edge of all satellite services to protect their fundamental operations and utility to long—
          established installed user base of the adjacent L—band RNSS services and devices

     2. Establish a power limit for the newly—proposed terrestrial transmitters based on their
       frequency proximity to the satellite bands (in particular to the broadcast RNSS
       bands allocated to GPS/GNSS operations):
       — Terrestrial transmitters close in frequency to the GPS band would have to be limited to less
         than the current limit of 31.9 dBW in proportion to their proximity to the GPS band

     3. Establish a power limit for the newly—proposed terrestrial transmitters in the MSS
        band based on the density of installations.
       — While this approach does not eliminate the potential effect of new terrestrial transmitters
          overcoming GPS receiver selectivity, it does reduce the probability of this occurring.

                                                                                                           10


               The Installed GNSS User Base
For purposes of this technical discussion, we developed an overview of today‘s
existing installed GPS user base who will be potentially adversely affected by the
proposed reallocation of the MSS L—band to primary terrestrial wireless use. This
technical input was developed based on analysis and test data for installed GNSS
receivers;

This overview represents a composite of receivers that serve a wide variety of
markets: E911; police, fire, paramedic response; consumer applications; precision
construction; structural deformation monitoring; machine control; survey; mapping;
geographic information systems (GIS), including MSS—delivered correction services.

Receiver sensitivity to signals across the L—band is shown with respect to the receiver
antenna. Proposed co—primary terrestrial wireless service signals transmitting above
the level shown on the graph, may, depending on the receiver type, jam the receiver.
This graph can be used to establish a sphere of jamming from a terrestrial transmitter
of a specific frequency and power .

This overview, produced on short notice, serves to illustrate the extent of the problem.
A thorough technical study of the effect on GPS receivers in the public and private
sector from the newly proposed terrestrial L—band transmissions is required for
definitive decision—making.


                                                                                          11


Maximum Allowed Power At A GNSS Receiver (Mask)
                                   Maximum Allowed Power at GNSS Receive Antenna
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                                                                                                                                                            12


       Technical Discussions With LightSquared

To date, the Council has had two technical discussions with
LightSquared, including:
«_ To facilitate an understanding of the different technical problem at the
   GPS receiver created by the proposed terrestrial wireless service, the
   Council developed a technical overview of the existing installed user
  base of GPS that shows the:
  — Potentially adverse effect at the composite GNSS receiver:
  — Additional technical mitigation that would be needed to ensure that
    this existing installed user base continues to receive the GPS
    signals.
«_ LightSquared provided technical input on the proposed operating
   conditions (our discussions have not been conducted under a non—
   disclosure agreement)


                                                                         13


          Three Decades Of Expanding GPS Use
«_ A brief review of the evolution of GPS and its growing ubiquity can aid the
  understanding of practical and effective technical solutions to ensure that mobile
  terrestrial services are able to serve the many customers, who in all likelihood, already
  depend on GPS:
  1978 — First GPS satellite launched
  1981 — First civilian GPS product introduced for survey use by a Federal Agency
  1984 — GPS products introduced for timing infrastructure and commercial survey
  1989 — Mobile GPS handheld introduced for consumer use
  1990‘s (early) — Dual—frequency GPS products introduced for scientific and commercial use in
         dynamic, high precision applications requiring a centimeter or better accuracy in real—time
  1995 — GPS system declared Full Operational Capability (FOC)
  1996 — Presidential Decision Directive (PDD) announced: "GPS provides substantial military
         advantage and is now being integrated into virtually every facet of our military operations
         [and] GPS is also rapidly becoming an integral component of the emerging Global
         Information Infrastructure, with applications ranging from mapping and surveying to
         international air traffic management and global change research."
  Late 1990s — Commercial high precision GPS networks in urban and rural areas:
         — Provide to muiltiple, diverse range of end—users the capability to leverage the utility of
           positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) information to increase operational productivity.




                                                                                                       14


    Three Decades Of Expanding GPS USC@ crimes
  2000 — The United States recognized the increasing importance of GPS to civil and
  commercial users by ending the deliberate degradation of accuracy for non—military
  signals, known as Selective Availability
  — Since this time, commercial and civil GPS applications have continued to multiply and their
    importance in critical infrastructures has increased significantly.

  2004 — President‘s Positioning, Navigation, Timing Policy declared that "services
  dependent on Global Positioning System information are now an engine for economic
  growth enhancing economic development and improving safety—of—life, and the system
  is a key component of multiple sectors of U.S. critical infrastructure,"
  — "Over the past decade, the Global Positioning System has grown into a global utility whose
     multi—use services are integral to U.S. national security, economic growth, transportation safety,
     and homeland security and are an essential element of the worldwide economic infrastructure."

  2006 — GPS—enabled cellphones were introduced, including for E911 use
  2008 — GPS—enabled mobile social networking applications introduced (e.9.,
  Foursquare; Facebook, etc.)
Increasing small, medium, and large companies, having operations that depend on the
availability of the GPS signals, are driving complete "site integration" of the PNT
information available from these space—based RNSS signals.


                                                                                                          15


  FCC ET Docket 10—142 Proposed The Standard
    Regulatory Approach When Contemplating
       A Change In Spectrum Use (2GHz)
The FCC‘s proceeding on MSS Broadband has two distinct parts:
  1. The first part is a Notice of Proposed Rule—making (NPRM):
     — Proposes to allow use of secondary market leasing rules that already apply to terrestrial
       mobile systems in the context of MSS/ATC in the L—band, Big LEO, and 2 GHz MSS
       spectrum;
     — Other provisions are as proposed, but at its core this NPRM proposes a "relaxation" of the
       MSS/ATC rules to promote use of this spectrum for broadband applications;
     — Nevertheless, the NPRM is clear that the existing MSS/ATC rules will continue to govern the
       service, specifically noting the continued application of the OOBE in the authorizations of
       each of the licensed MSS/ATC systems.
  2. The second part is a Notice of Inquiry (NOl):
     — The FCC invites comments on a potential later NPRM to consider allowing co—primary
       terrestrial use of only the 2 GHz MSS spectrum;
     — The significance of this NOI is that the FCC considers it premature to have an NPRM on the
       subject of the reallocation of the 2 GHz MSS spectrum to terrestrial use.
The issues raised by the FCC in this NOI are precisely the types of issues that need to be
addressed when contemplating a change in use of spectrum, particularly when adding a
co—allocation of a terrestrial use to space—based spectrum use.
                                                                                                    16


   FCC File No. SAT—MOD—20101118—000239
     But, The Standard Regulatory Approach
     Is Not Proposed For The Same Change
   In Spectrum Use In The L—Band (As 2GHz)
However, this is not how the FCC is proceeding in contemplating the
proposed waiver of the MSS/ATC L—band applicant‘s existing ATC
authorization to effectively allow co—primary terrestrial use of the L—band
allocated to primary MSS use:
— What the FCC considered too premature for the MSS Broadband NPRM
  (reallocation) (ET Docket 10—142), is now being proposed in the L2 waiver
  (FCC File No. SAT—MOD—20101118—000239) without first seeking public
  comments first in an NOI followed by an NPRM.
Thus, the FCC is now proposing an effective co—primary allocation to
terrestrial use in spectrum allocated to a primary space service (MSS) which
is not only without precedent, but also not following the FCC‘s regulatory
approach that the Commission has set out in its own companion proceeding
(ET Docket 10—142).


                                                                              17


                Two Critical Questions

_ If LightSquared already has authority to provide
  terrestrial service under its MSS/ATC license, why is the
  waiver needed?



_ If a waiver is needed to provide the service they are
  proposing, why is the Commission not treating it for what
  it really is — a reallocation of spectrum — and using the
  same process as under the NOI in the MSS Broadband
  proceedings (ET Docket 10—142)?




                                                              18


                              Recommendations

To avoid creating a setback for the Nation‘s broadband agenda and potential harm to the
national GPS utility, ensure that:
1. Equivalent regulatory treatment is undertaken for contemplation of a co—primary
  terrestrial service allocation in the L—band allocated to MSS use as the FCC is
  proposing for the co—primary terrestrial service allocation in the 2GHz band allocated to
  MSS:
  — Consider the application for modification of the MSS L—band ATC license (FCC File
     No. SAT—MOD—20101118—00239) under the FCC NPRM/NOI on broadband (FCC
     ET Docket 10—142) to allow adequate development of the public record and robust
     public comment, especially to fully understand the potential for harmful interference
     to adjacent MSS and RNSS services in the L—band;
2. A comprehensive technical analysis of the potential for harmful interference is
  undertaken by the appropriate representatives of the United States Government (USG)
  having technical expertise, including specialized technical expertise, relevant to the
  broad range of public and private sector operating scenarios among the installed user
  base of the GPS signals in the RNSS L—band today; such as: FCC OET; NTIA; IRAC
  members;
3. All mitigation measures are identified and enabled to protect GPS use in the L—
  band prior to authorizing a terrestrial service in the L—band.



                                                                                         19



Document Created: 2019-04-17 21:26:41
Document Modified: 2019-04-17 21:26:41

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