LightSquared Inc. today (February 10, 2016) announced a change of name to Ligado Networks.
The Reston, Virginia–based company described the Ligado as “a new brand that signals the company’s future vision of deploying its mid-band spectrum to deliver next-generation connectivity while also conveying the company’s heritage as a network service operator providing satellite connectivity throughout the U.S. and Canada.”
LightSquared Inc. today (February 10, 2016) announced a change of name to Ligado Networks.
The Reston, Virginia–based company described the Ligado as “a new brand that signals the company’s future vision of deploying its mid-band spectrum to deliver next-generation connectivity while also conveying the company’s heritage as a network service operator providing satellite connectivity throughout the U.S. and Canada.”
In discussing the transition to the new brand, chief executive officer Doug Smith explained the company’s efforts to turn the page since emerging from bankruptcy last year.
“This is a really exciting time for the new company, and we remain committed to making continued progress with all stakeholders in a cooperative way,” Smith said. “[In Spanish] Ligado means being connected and ready to go. As our lives become more mobile in an increasingly connected world, the Ligado Networks brand underscores our mission to provide the mobile connections that support a growing variety of emerging applications.”
Smith and Ligado’s board of directors, which is chaired by former Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg, envision the company’s mid-band spectrum as a catalyst for continued innovation and advancement in mobile connectivity.
“As an example, when we look at the Internet of Things, it’s not just Things; the real keys to success are the connections between those Things as well as the quality of that connectivity,” said Smith. “We’re all about connectivity, and we are working with industry and government stakeholders to increase the supply of available spectrum,”
Among those stakeholders are the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and GNSS community that resisted LightSquared’s first efforts to roll out a high-powered terrestrial wireless broadband system in radio frequency spectrum adjacent to many GNSS services. LightSquared recently reached agreements to resolve long-standing legal disputes with three GPS manufacturers.
Over the coming months, Ligado Networks is focused on making continued progress with industry and government stakeholders to advance the regulatory process for bringing its mid-band spectrum to market, Smith said. The company recently filed a plan with the FCC seeking public comment on the technical co-existence agreements with the three GPS companies and requesting the FCC’s consideration of the company’s proposal to bring more mid-band spectrum to market for mobile broadband use.
