31 senators slam Ligado 5G network order as ‘harmful’ and ‘hurried’ in new letter to FCC

A group of 31 senators from both sides of the aisle on Friday issued a new warning against a recent decision to establish a 5G high-speed information network from Ligado, a Virginia-based satellite communications company, which they say has been “hurried” will be “harmful” to U.S. national security.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) last month unanimously approved Ligado’s application to set up the network, despite warnings from defense officials that it could impair other functions on the spectrum — in particular the vital Global Position System (GPS).

Calls have been growing within the national security community, including Pentagon leadership, to reverse the decision, but Ligado has insisted it has implemented precautions to prevent interference from outside actors and will provide a six-month notice before the system is deployed.

“We are concerned that the Order does not adequately protect adjacent band operations—including those related to the Global Positioning System (GPS) and satellite communications—from harmful interference that would impact countless commercial and military activities,” the senators wrote in a letter to the FCC Friday.

They pointed to risks the network poses to a host of industries including travel, defense, aviation, agriculture, communication, emergency response and weather, all of which heavily rely on the existing GPS system.

“Furthermore, the hurried nature of the circulation and consideration of the Order itself — during a national crisis, no less — was not conducive to addressing the many technical concerns raised by affected stakeholders,” the lawmakers continued.

The group, led by Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman James Inhofe, Oklahoma Republican, urged the FCC to “immediately” reconsider their decision to approve the network and produce a plan that will address the Senators’ concerns.

Mr. Inhofe was joined by a bipartisan group of nearly three dozen lawmakers including committee ranking member Jack Reed, Rhode Island Democrat, as well as Sens. Chuck Grassley, Iowa Republican; Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Democrat; Susan Collins, Maine Republican; and Rick Scott, Florida Republican.