The U.S. Court of Federal Claims has allowed Ligado Networks to proceed with its $ 39 billion lawsuit against the federal government, marking a significant development in a long-standing dispute over 5G spectrum usage and property rights.
<p>Judge Edward Damich partially favored Ligado by acknowledging the company’s case for property interest in the spectrum allegedly used by the Department of Defense (DOD) while rejecting its claim that the FCC license constituted a property right subject to federal taking.</p> <p>The controversy stems from the FCC’s 2020 decision granting Ligado exclusive authority over spectrum near GPS frequencies, raising concerns about potential interference with GPS systems. Ligado’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gpsworld.com/ligado-sues-u-s-government-for-using-its-licensed-5g-spectrum/">October 2023 lawsuit</a> accuses the U.S. government of conducting a “multiyear misinformation and disparagement campaign” to conceal its activities and misappropriate Ligado’s licensed spectrum for DOD systems without permission or compensation.</p> <p>The government attempted to dismiss the lawsuit in January 2024, arguing lack of jurisdiction and that Ligado couldn’t establish a cognizable property interest in its FCC license. However, Judge Damich’s ruling allows the case to proceed.</p> <p>At the core of this dispute is the proximity of Ligado’s L-band spectrum to GPS frequencies, raising concerns about potential interference with critical GPS signals used for navigation, timing and various applications essential for national security and economic stability. The DOD, GPS companies and industry officials have strongly opposed Ligado’s plans for a terrestrial 5G network, arguing it could cause harmful interference to GPS receivers.</p> <p><p>The post <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.gpsworld.com/ligado-moves-forward-with-lawsuit-against-dod/">Ligado moves forward with lawsuit against DOD</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.gpsworld.com">GPS World</a>.</p></p>
