WASHINGTON – The Federal Communications Commission today denied a request to stay its unanimous decision to authorize Ligado Networks to deploy a low-power terrestrial nationwide network using portions of its licensed spectrum. A petition filed by the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) last May sought to delay the proceeding, but the Commission ruled today that NTIA did not satisfy the requirements of a stay, in particular, the demonstration of an irreparable injury or a likelihood of success on the merits on its related petition for reconsideration of the Commission's 2020 Order and Authorization.

"We must continue to move forward to ensure next-generation wireless services are available, and to do so, we must put this long-underused spectrum to its best use," said FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. "My colleagues and I unanimously adopted the order after more than a decade of delay across several Administrations. That order imposed stringent conditions in order to protect incumbent users, including GPS services and Pentagon operations that operate outside this band, and the technical evidence in our record continues to demonstrate that the FCC made the correct decision. I thank all of my colleagues for voting on this order with dispatch—on the same day it was circulated—and enabling the Commission to reaffirm that order, which is in the best interest of the American people."

The Commission unanimously adopted its Order and Authorization in April 2020.

FCC