Globalstar CEO Lobbies Aide to Wheeler on Company's TLPS

Chairman-CEO Jay Monroe lobbied for Globalstar's terrestrial low-power service. Monroe "urged that the Commission expeditiously adopt rules in this proceeding to authorize" the TLPS "innovative broadband service," said a filing posted in docket 13-213 Wednesday about Monroe's phone call with an aide to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler. "Such rules would serve the public interest by adding 22 megahertz to the nation’s broadband spectrum inventory and alleviating congestion in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. Simply put, consumers will be better off with the expanded capacity made available via TLPS," said the filing from a lawyer for the satellite company. The regulatory future of the product has been hazy. Commissioners Ajit Pai and Jessica Rosenworcel voted against a draft FCC order circulated by Wheeler's office that would allow the service to be phased in, and the two other regular commissioners hadn't decided (see 1607140049).