LightSquared Forms Rural Initiative

LightSquared has created the Empower Rural America Initiative led by an advisory board that includes former Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and former Representatives George Nethercutt of Washington and Charlie Stenholm of Texas.

The group will partner with LightSquared to:

• ?Work with small cities and rural communities to ensure the deployment of this new national satellite broadband service;?
• Work with LightSquared and other parties to make sure device filters and other approaches are developed that will resolve any GPS issues related to precision agriculture and other areas;?
• Ensure that LightSquared’s integrated satellite network can help rural markets augment their broadband and GPS services to provide greater accuracy and continuity of service;
• ?Address the unique public safety concerns of small towns and rural communities by making the deployment of satellite communications services available to assist people in these areas in the event of a disaster.

“Let’s work to find solutions that will give farmers the accurate GPS signals and advanced wireless and broadband services available to rural America,” said former representative Nethercutt, in a statement. “They shouldn’t be mutually exclusive goals. The need for ubiquitous wireless broadband services at reasonable costs is one of the greatest needs in these communities.”

For a comprehensive look at LightSquared, see Communications Technology’s July/August issue.