NextNav CEO Mariam Sorond urged the FCC to move forward on the company’s proposal to reconfigure the 902-928 MHz band, enabling what it called a “high-quality, terrestrial complement” to GPS for positioning, navigation and timing services (see 2404160043). “Since former President George W. Bush first acknowledged the need to build GPS redundancy in 2004, every presidential administration has recognized the problem,” Sorond said Tuesday in Forbes. GPS signals are “easily disrupted by intentional spoofing and jamming, and even by unintentional interference,” she wrote: “These signals weaken as they approach Earth -- a vulnerability we’ve seen exploited on the battlefield -- and threaten civilian industries in Europe and the Middle East.” GPS signals also struggle “indoors and in urban canyons, posing challenges for first responders trying to locate people in emergencies.” GPS is also an economic issue, she said. “A one-day loss of GPS could cost the U.S. economy an estimated $1.6 billion, according to a Brattle Group report.”

Amphenol notified the FCC on Tuesday that it has completed its buy of CommScope’s outdoor wireless networks unit and distributed antenna systems business for $2.1 billion in cash, a development announced Monday (see 2502030019). In a filing in docket 15-319, Amphenol said the FCC should expect no changes to what was CommScope’s citizens broadband radio service spectrum access system as a result of the ownership change. The two business units will be known as “ANDREW, an Amphenol company,” the filing said.

The Nevada Division of Emergency Management backed NextNav's proposal to reconfigure the 902-928 MHz band, enabling what NextNav called a “high-quality, terrestrial complement” to GPS for positioning, navigation and timing services (see 2404160043). The emergency agency said public safety answering points and first responders rely on accurate location information to do their jobs. “Despite advancements, GPS alone often fails to provide reliable location data indoors or in dense urban environments,” said a filing posted Tuesday in docket 24-240. “This limitation has real-world consequences, as delays in locating 911 callers can result in lost lives and property.”

The U.S. is denying Ligado's uncompensated takings allegations related to the company's L-band spectrum rights. In a 34-page answer Monday (docket 1:23-cv-01797) to Ligado's complaint, which was filed in 2023 with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (see 2310130004), the U.S. denied the allegations but didn't provide an affirmative defense. Ligado alleges that DOD is using Ligado spectrum for previously undisclosed systems without compensating the company, and red flags that DOD raised about possible GPS interference from Ligado spectrum use were a pretext to cover that up. The court in November partially upheld Ligado's suit in response to a U.S. motion to dismiss.

Market demand for interoperability, as well as new technological capabilities, is pushing satellite and terrestrial communications toward one another, connectivity panelists said during a Via Satellite event Tuesday. Andy Sutton, BT Group principal network architect, said there could be significant satellite/terrestrial interoperability within three to five years.

UScellular representatives met with FCC staff to discuss the company’s response to a December data request from the Wireless Bureau (see 2412270031), said a filing posted Monday in docket 24-286. They discussed “acceptable formats for submission” of the data, UScellular said. The company also “asked clarifying questions concerning some of the data variables requested … and provided information to staff regarding the scope of data UScellular creates and maintains in the ordinary course of business,” the filing said. Representatives met staff from the Wireless Bureau and Office of Economics and Analytics.

Boldyn Networks U.S. has completed $1.2 billion in debt financing for an expansion of its U.S. telecommunications infrastructure footprint, it said last week. The funding comes as the neutral host provider is "navigating one of the most consequential times in wired and wireless innovation, where expectations across industries -- from higher education and military applications to venues, sports, fan experiences, and private wireless networks -- are evolving at an unprecedented pace," CEO Christos Karmis said.

CommScope completed the proposed sale of its outdoor wireless networks unit and distributed antenna systems business to Amphenol for $2.1 billion in cash (see 2407190017), the companies said Monday. The acquisition “brings to Amphenol a strong portfolio of innovative and advanced technologies for communications networks,” said CEO Adam Norwitt, whose company also picks up 4,000 employees. Amphenol looks forward to “further supporting our customers who are developing next-generation wireless networks around the world,” he added.

AT&T is launching an upgraded distributed-antenna system (DAS) in and around the Superdome in New Orleans, ahead of Super Bowl LIX, the carrier said Monday. “Shortly after the Men’s Final Four in 2022, we kicked off planning for our massive technology refresh of the Superdome,” AT&T said. “The new DAS enhances wireless connectivity by distributing signals throughout the venue, ensuring strong and reliable coverage.” AT&T said it spent nearly $2.1 billion on its network in Louisiana from 2019-23, including more than $575 million in the Greater New Orleans-Metairie area.

UScellular, in a heavily redacted filing at the FCC, told the agency that negotiations with T-Mobile before last year’s purchase agreement took place over seven months. The companies announced in May an agreement under which T-Mobile will buy “substantially all” of the smaller carrier’s wireless operations, including some of its spectrum, in a deal valued at about $4.4 billion, including $2 billion in assumed debt (see 2405280047). On Oct. 4, 2023, Citigroup Global Markets, lead financial adviser on the sale, “started conversations with potential interested parties,” and UScellular’s parent, TDS, entered into a nondisclosure agreement with T-Mobile, said a filing posted Friday in docket 24-286. “Over the next several months, a competitive bidding process was held to solicit proposals from multiple parties, including T-Mobile,” it said. The talks resulted in an agreement reached May 24, UScellular said. The filing was a partial response to a December letter from the Wireless Bureau asking a battery of questions on the deal (see 2412270031).