Topic: Lightsquared Gps

In 2005, then-Senator Barack Obama reportedly invested $90,000 in SkyTerra, the predecessor to LightSquared. The company, now led by Phil Falcone, faces scrutiny over allegations that its satellite broadband network interferes with military GPS systems and that the White House pressured officials to provide favorable testimony.

The NDAA includes a provision to review potential interference with national security GPS receivers caused by commercial communication services. This specifically addresses the ongoing conflict involving LightSquared and their LTE deployment, which has been accused of stepping over GPS frequencies. The bill mandates a determination of whether these commercial services cause harmful interference to military-grade positioning systems.

A grain farmer from Illinois donated to the show and highlighted the importance of GPS precision in modern agriculture. He expressed concern that the LightSquared network could interfere with GPS guidance systems used to minimize "inputs" like seed and fertilizer. Precision ag tech is essential for farmers to remain profitable while dealing with high costs from companies like Monsanto.

Congressional testimony reveals that the LightSquared wireless network interferes with high-precision GPS used in automated farming and aviation. A Missouri representative claims that interference could lead to over $1 billion in crop losses per million acres. Adam Curry, speaking as an aviator, argues that while the technology is often unnecessary, the political push for LightSquared is driven by Obama-linked investors.

LightSquared, a company backed by a major Democratic donor, is accused of pressuring the military to change testimony regarding its interference with GPS signals. General William Shelton of the Air Force Space Command reportedly told Congress that the White House tried to influence his report. The hosts explain the concept of "bundling" campaign donations in exchange for ambassadorships.