Sens. Kerry, Graham urge FCC to save LightSquared

Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) have urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to move LightSquared to a new section of airwaves in an effort to save the troubled wireless start-up.

LightSquared has invested billions of dollars in plans for a nationwide 4G network, but the FCC moved to block the network in February over concerns that it would interfere with critical GPS devices. In a letter to FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski the senators say they "understand" the agency's decision to prevent LightSquared from interfering with GPS devices. But the senators said that instead of ruining the company, the FCC should allocate different wireless airwave frequencies, known as spectrum, for LightSquared. "Others have rightly pointed out that this situation raises the question of whether the agency should create receiver standards so that license holders operate only in their licensed spectrum," Sens Kerry and Graham wrote. But they said tougher receiver standards for GPS devices is a "long-term" issue that is of little help to LightSquared, which is reportedly near bankruptcy.