Hearing of the House Small Business Committee - GPS and Lightsquared

Statement

House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) today held a full committee hearing to examine the impact on small businesses that may result from LightSquared's use of its spectrum to provide broadband service near the Global Positioning System (GPS). Small businesses, including farmers, construction contractors, surveyors, and the general aviation industry, rely on the accuracy of GPS. Potential interference with GPS raises significant concerns to these small companies.

"Increasing broadband to underserved and rural areas is a noble goal and only makes sense in this rapidly advancing technological world. However, we must find a solution to increase wireless broadband without jeopardizing currently established GPS systems and further burdening small businesses.

"Interference of the GPS signal will cost American small businesses billions of dollars to retrofit their GPS devices. This alone is an enormous burden that could harm or impair their business. From land surveyors to family farmers to thousands of other businesses-- a huge segment of our economy will be affected. But this is about more than the cost, it is also about safety. Pilots rely heavily on GPS to maneuver their planes-- so above all, we must ensure that safety is not compromised.

"I am hopeful that we can find a solution that will not interfere with GPS, while still increasing wireless broadband nationwide. However, we are not there yet. It is clear from our small business witnesses that further analysis and tests for all GPS devices are needed before LightSquared moves forward. This Committee will be following the issue closely to make sure there are no added costs for small business GPS users and that safety remains of utmost importance."

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