Defense bill amendment seeks to block LightSquared

Rep Mike Turner (R-OH) added language to the Defense authorization bill barring the Federal Communications Commission from approving LightSquared’s planned wireless network unless the Defense Department certifies it would not interfere with military GPS.

The House passed the Defense bill Dec 14 after President Barack Obama dropped his threat to veto the measure over provisions governing the detention of terror suspects. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill by the end of the week. LightSquared has invested billions of dollars in plans to launch a nationwide wholesale wireless broadband service, but it has come under fire since tests earlier this year revealed its network could cause problems for GPS devices. Rep Turner’s amendment requires the Defense Department to report to Congress every 90 days on the potential for GPS interference from LightSquared’s network. But FCC officials said they have no intention of allowing LightSquared, or any company, to launch a service that will disrupt GPS.