TLPS Framework Not Exclusive, Says Globalstar

FCC proposed rules for terrestrial low-power service (TLPS) wouldn’t give Globalstar “exclusive operating rights within the unlicensed band segment,” the company said in an ex parte notice response to Google posted Tuesday in docket 13-213. Google raised concerns that if the commission approves Globalstar’s TLPS, it would be giving priority to the satellite operator (see 1504060025). The commission’s framework “will permit any party to use that spectrum, including for new technologies, as long as the operations meet the Part 15 rules,” Globalstar said. It said the 2473 to 2483.5 MHz band segment will "remain open to current and future Part 15-compliant services including, for example, Bluetooth, Zigbee, and innovative technologies that can better utilize this unlicensed spectrum." Unmanaged public Wi-Fi operations on Channel 14 could create interference for Globalstar’s mobile-satellite service (MSS) operations, it said. By managing TLPS, Globalstar can minimize interference to its MSS, it said. The commission should release emissions measurement results that -- like the Office of Engineering and Technology report, which was released April 2 (see 1504030047) -- don't require analyses or interpretation, Gerst Capital said in a comment posted Tuesday. The commission should also release spectrum analyzer photos for the transmit chains for all four access points used in the demos, Gerst said. Gerst called it "encouraging" to have TLPS-enabled hardware subject to formal radio frequency testing, but raised concerns that the coexistence filters on the access points weren't sufficiently tested. "I am concerned only two of the four Ruckus 7982 access points used in the TLPS demonstrations were tested," said manager of Gerst Capital Greg Gerst. "It would have been possible for Globalstar to configure the demonstrations in such a way as to avoid the coexistence filter problem without having to modify every access point, or even every transmit chain on every access point." Globalstar maintained in its comment that TLPS deployment won’t have detrimental effects on other unlicensed services at 2.4 GHz, including public Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices.