Long-running dispute continues…
The company alleges that the Department of Defense, Department of Commerce and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration blocked its ability to deploy a terrestrial 5G network using spectrum the Federal Communications Commission authorized in 2020. Ligado argues the agencies’ actions amount to an unconstitutional taking of its property under the Fifth Amendment.
In April 2020, the FCC granted Ligado permission to use portions of its L-band satellite spectrum for terrestrial wireless services. The authorization came despite objections from defense and other federal agencies, which raised concerns that the planned operations could interfere with GPS signals used by military systems and critical infrastructure.
Ligado first sued the United States in late 2023, initially seeking up to about $39 billion. The amended filing attributes the higher figure to accrued prejudgment interest and expanded claims that the government conducted a campaign to undermine the value of the spectrum and pressure the company’s business partners.
Ligado contends that undisclosed Defense Department systems rely on or occupy the same frequencies, making commercial deployment impossible. The government has maintained that protecting GPS from harmful interference remains a national security priority.
The case continues in the Court of Federal Claims. The outcome could influence how spectrum licenses are valued when federal agencies assert competing operational needs and could affect future commercial efforts to use frequencies near those relied upon by GPS.
Separately, Ligado’s deal to use its L-band spectrum in AST SpaceMobile ASTS 3.63%↑ low-Earth-orbit satellites, primarily for direct-to-device (satellite-to-phone) services, has faced opposition from aviation groups and other satellite operators.
