A major technical battle broke out recently in the United States, the results of which are expected to determine the path of mobile communications globally, during the current decade and beyond, where the Federal Communications Commission decided, after hesitation and disagreement that has been ongoing since 2010, to allow the use of what is known as the "frequency spectrum". Medium Range », which satellites use to build and operate 5G networks for mobile communications. The decision was immediately objected to by the Pentagon, calling it a destructive GPS system, and a serious threat to both military and civilian operations, and it must be stopped immediately. On April 20, the Federal Communications Committee voted unanimously on this decision, and allowed a new company in the field of mobile communications, called "Legado G5", or "Legado Network for the Fifth Generation," and the committee’s decision stated that it allows the use of this frequency spectrum. In building new communication networks, the average satellite spectrum is used to build and operate mobile communications networks on the ground, based on the technology of the fifth generation of mobile networks.
The roots of the crisis
In a detailed technical analysis prepared by the analysts of the site «CNet» specializing in technology, on this issue, and recently published, analysts described the decision of the Federal Communications Commission «the battle of the contract», indicating that it is a decision that has been the subject of controversy and a dispute that has persisted since 2010, when it requested Some companies authorize the use of the "medium spectrum bandwidth" in the field of mobile communications, and their request was met with rejection, due to the possible interference between the new mobile network signals and the GPS system signals. The most important company that has repeatedly attempted to obtain the license was Lightquared, which was a satellite mobile terrestrial communications project, aimed at spreading the wireless spectrum originally intended for satellite services, to help telecom companies offer advanced cheap wireless offers.
Because of its failure to obtain a license, it filed for bankruptcy in 2012, then reorganized itself and filed for bankruptcy in 2015 with a new name, and with a new plan that took into account the concerns of interference, and it became operating under the name "Legado", until it finally obtained the license.
Army attack
After the committee’s decision, on April 20, the US Department of Defense did not object, but it recently backed away from this position, and launched a violent attack on the decision, and the Defense Department argues that the foundations that the FCC relied on in its decision are not sufficient to remove concerns about overlap between New network signals and GPS signals.
And Defense Secretary Mark Esper published an editorial in The Wall Street Journal, in which he confirmed that the FCC decision would disrupt the daily life and commerce of millions of Americans, and inject unacceptable risks into systems necessary for emergency response, aviation, and missile defense.
In a session held by the Congressional Armed Forces Committee, witnessed by Acting Chief Information Officer of the "Pentagon", Dana Desi, and Chief of Space Operations, General John Raymond, and Head of Research and Engineering, Michael Griffin, during which they emphasized that the interference is from the fifth generation devices that the company plans "Legado" for its deployment will affect the accuracy of weapons systems in addition to disabling emergency calls (911), which rely on GPS services.
Defense of the commission
For its part, the Federal Communications Committee defended its decision strongly, and technical experts at the committee said that they have studied all issues related to fears of interference for years, and the guarantees stipulated in the approval of the committee, including the energy limits on the Legado network devices, should reduce the Any dangerous interference, and therefore the decision is established to build wireless communication networks that mix wide geographical coverage with high speed and cheap cost. "We have collected an extensive record confirming that it is in the public interest to approve the (Legado) request while imposing strict conditions to prevent harmful interference," said committee chair Ajitbay Bay.
Is vital
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo entered the crisis line, alongside the FCC decision, describing its decision as "vital to our national security." Noting the competition with China in this regard, Pompeo said: "The committee's decision will help ensure that the United States is the world leader in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of things, advanced computing, and the next generation of telemedicine."