Test at Washington School Further Proof of TLPS Public Benefit, Globalstar Says

Pointing to a test of its terrestrial low-power service (TLPS) at Washington School for Girls (WSG) in the District of Columbia, Globalstar said in an FCC ex parte filing posted Thursday that it "hopes to bring similar benefits to thousands of other students across the United States within the near future." Consultant AT4 Wireless set up TLPS-enabled access points at the school and integrated them into the school's wireless network this fall, Globalstar said. Before TLPS, channels 1, 6 and 11 experienced congestion with other wireless networks in the school building during peak usage time, Globalstar said. After TLPS installation, downlink throughput increased 45 percent and uplink throughput increased 34 percent, it said. The filing in docket 13-213 recapped a visit to the school by Julius Knapp, FCC Office of Engineering and Technology chief; Troy Tanner, International Bureau deputy chief; and Jose Albuquerque, IB chief-satellite division. Globalstar, which has pushed repeatedly for agency approval, saying demonstrations and tests have proven TLPS poses no interference threat to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth (see 1511020016), said the WSG deployment "further confirms the significant public interest benefits of the ... proposed TLPS rules."