The US Department of Defense opposes satellite communications companies' deployment of 5G networks

On April 20, local time in the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) agreed to Ligado's deployment of low-power 5G networks across the United States, but the decision was opposed by the U.S. Department of Defense, other federal agencies and major U.S. airlines, who claimed that the project would affect the use of GPS.

[[323362]]

The U.S. Department of Defense opposes Ligado's 5G project (Image source: SpaceNews)

Satellite communications company Ligado Networks plans to use L-band spectrum to help telecom companies deploy 5G networks, and they also have the relevant licenses. But the L-band is also used for GPS and other navigation systems because the signals in this band can penetrate cloud cover. On the 20th, according to foreign media reports, the Federal Communications Commission said that the approval order includes strict conditions designed to ensure that the Global Positioning System (GPS) will not be subject to harmful interference.

However, Ligado's 5G network project has been fiercely opposed by the US Department of Defense, other federal agencies and major US airlines. Administrative departments including the Pentagon, NASA, the US Department of Commerce and the US Department of Homeland Security have stated that the US Department of Defense "strongly opposes" Ligado's plan to deploy a 5G network because it will "adversely affect the military use of GPS" in the United States.

At the same time, some government agencies including the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Department of Energy and major U.S. airlines have also stated that Ligado's plan should not be approved.