GPSIA Statement on Efforts to Protect GPS

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 13, 2020 – Today, the Executive Director of the GPS Innovation Alliance, J. David Grossman, issued the following statement regarding recent developments involving Ligado Network’s pending applications before the FCC:

“As the voice of the GPS industry in Washington, the GPS Innovation Alliance (GPSIA) has consistently called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ensure that GPS receivers are protected from harmful interference. We were thus pleased to see numerous federal agencies and departments, including the Department of Defense, reaffirm the importance of protecting GPS and indirectly the criticality of using an internationally established criteria, known as the ‘1 dB Standard,’ for protecting GPS. The 1 dB Standard is the only reliable mechanism that provides the predictability and certainty to ensure the continuation of the GPS success story."

Additionally, GPSIA wishes to set the record straight regarding Ligado's repeated references to so-called ‘co-existence agreements’ with major GPS receiver manufacturers. GPSIA’s members entered into technical settlement agreements as a result of litigation and did not resolve use of the 1 dB Standard to determine whether harmful interference exists nor the use of GPS receivers for certified aviation. GPSIA will continue to vigorously advocate for the FCC's use of the 1 dB Standard as the appropriate metric for any decision on this matter.”