LightSquared Settles GPS Lawsuit With Trimble Navigation
December 15 2015 - 3:20PM
Dow Jones News
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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