New wireless service provider LightSquared is being wracked by very negative reports regarding its technology. According to test made by the National Executive Committee for Space-Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing, LightSquared’s proposed LTE service interferes with the flight safety system. Specifically, it affects the alerts given to pilots about approaching terrain.
The FAA conducted the test of the flight control systems. The test revealed that LightSquared’s system actually creates a lot of interference in the safety system that was devised to alert pilots if it is going to encounter terrain or any kind of obstructions within its flightpath.
LightSquared has issued a statement that while the company is willing to continue working with the FAA regarding the “terrain avoidance systemsâ€, it “profoundly disagree†with the conclusions published in the report.
This problem with flight warning systems is just another issue that LightSquared needs to address. An earlier complaint about its LTE services is that it interferes with most general purpose GPS receivers. The interference means that LightSquared’s LTE technology will create pockets of GPS jamming in many areas in the United States – both in populated and rural areas. The interference has been identified as covering a radius of 100 meters of the company’s terrestrial base stations that communicate with wireless devices and also communicate with LightSquared’s satellite network.
LightSquared has also denied that its service will cause GP interference due to its signals encroaching on the GPS signal spectrum. The company said the problem is with GPS devices that have been poorly designed. These faulty devices, the company claims, listens not just to signals in the GPS spectrum but also in other areas where it should not be picking up.
Originally posted on December 19, 2011 @ 11:40 am