LightSquared and Trimble Navigation Ltd. have settled their long-running legal fight over the wireless venture's Global Positioning System network interfered with Trimble, the latest in a string of recent deals that moves the company closer to deploying its mobile wireless network.

The new LightSquared, which emerged from bankruptcy last week under new management, has been busy making peace with GPS equipment makers in a bid to show the company's broadband wireless network can coexist with GPS technology.

"Trimble and New LightSquared have agreed to work together with the relevant government agencies to implement a mutually acceptable compromise approach to resolution of the outstanding issues relating to use of New LightSquared's spectrum," a LightSquared spokeswoman said.

Details of the settlement weren't announced. Trimble representatives couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

News of the deal with Trimble comes on the heels of LightSquared's settlement last week with Deere & Co., which LightSquared had sued along with GPS equipment makers Trimble and Garmin Ltd. in 2013 claiming their receivers interfered with its network.

Under its settlement with Deere, LightSquared has agreed to forgo a portion of its spectrum nearest to the GPS signal and instead will use frequencies that are further away from the GPS signal. In return, Deere said it won't object to LightSquared's deployment of its wireless broadband network.

The litigation against Garmin, whose GPS products are used in automotive, maritime and automotives industries, hasn't been settled, according to court filings. Garmin representatives couldn't be reached for comment.

LightSquared also withdrew a lawsuit filed by hedge fund Harbinger Capital Partners, the company's former owner, against the U.S. government. The suit claimed the government "unlawfully" allowed the GPS equipment makers to use spectrum owned by LightSquared, costing the hedge fund most of its $1.9 billion investment in the wireless venture.

Hedge-fund manager Phil Falcone founded LightSquared with the hope of someday providing low-cost mobile services to Americans. The company filed for chapter 11 protection in May 2012, shortly after the Federal Communications Commission refused to clear LightSquared's plans to launch its wireless network. Those regulators had been warned by the GPS industry that LightSquared's network could interfere with GPS receivers.

As part of LightSquared's exit from bankruptcy, the company's new leadership—Mr. Smith, along with former Verizon Communications Inc. Chief Executive Ivan Seidenberg and former FCC Chairman Reed Hundt—control the litigation rights against both the GPS industry and the U.S. government.

Fortress Investment Group LLC, Centerbridge Partners and J.P. Morgan & Chase Co. now share ownership in the reorganized company. Mr. Falcone maintained a 44% stake in the company but no longer has a say in the wireless spectrum venture's operations.

Write to Patrick Fitzgerald at patrick.fitzgerald@wsj.com

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 15, 2015 15:05 ET (20:05 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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