Ligado and Competitive Carriers Association Talk Unlocking Broadband Coverage at Lunch Event

WASHINGTON, September 9, 2021—Doug Smith, president and CEO of Ligado Networks, said at Broadband Breakfast’s first in-person lunch event Wednesday that a combination of satellite and on-the-ground technologies will prove to improve connectivity for all Americans.

Smith said the ubiquitous coverage of satellites seamlessly coupled with the speed and penetrative capabilities of terrestrial networks thanks to 5G technology is where broad connectivity is unlocked.

Ligado, a satellite and technology company, has fostered close relationships with companies like Mavenir and Nokia to see these visions realized and allow more people around the country to access broadband and cellular services no matter where they are in the country. In 2020, Ligado received unanimous approval from the FCC to launch spectrum sharing operations in the L band, despite fierce push-back from the Department of Defense.

The question of providing better service to rural consumers is of particular importance to the Competitive Carriers Association, whose President and CEO Steven Berry also joined Broadband Breakfast Editor and Publisher Drew Clark for lunch.

Though they are not the largest advocate in the telecom sector, they provide rural carriers with a voice in areas that are economically difficult to serve. “Many of our members try and effectively serve rural areas that either no one else tried to attempt, or they are the most difficult areas in the United States,” Berry said. “That is why we have always had an appreciation for Ligado.”

Berry explained how historically, Ligado promoted a wholesale model that was designed to work with small carriers. He went further, explaining that for many regions, internet connectivity does not make economic sense, and that business models are often unsustainable due to the often sparsely populated and difficult terrain.

Ligado’s model allowed these companies, he said, to enhance their coverage, backhaul, and overall cost effectiveness. “We are of the opinion that every tool in the tool has to be utilized and each situation is unique,” Berry said.

“Each carrier that tries to service those unique areas is also unique—the possibilities to team with Ligado [puts small carriers in a great position to pull that off].”

The push for ubiquitous 5G

Whether it is improving coverage through expanding into more bands or creating handheld devices capable of utilizing satellite and terrestrial technologies, Ligado pushing to unlock the true capabilities of 5G technologies.

In the past couple years, Ligado has focused its efforts on bringing 5G to the forefront of its services. “This is the transition of a generation of technology that is not like anything we have seen before,” Smith said.

“This is not like 2G to 3G, or even 3G to 4G.” He described Ligado’s role, which he believes is to support the U.S.’s critical infrastructure in industries like energy, transportation, and manufacturing. He stated that operating in bands such as the L band is critical for Ligado to fulfill this role.

“Our vision is to bring the power of a 5G commercial network to bear on private industries.”

Broadband Breakfast Live Online events take place every Wednesday at 12 Noon ET. Broadband Breakfast for Lunch takes place at 11:30 a.m. on the second Wednesday of every month at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, 707 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20006. You can watch the September 8, 2021, on this page, or sign up for the current Live Online event.

Wednesday, September 8, 2021, 12 Noon ET — A Conversation with Ligado President and CEO Doug Smith and Competitive Carriers Association President and CEO Steven K. Berry

Deployment of 5G and next-generation technologies promises tremendous opportunities for consumers across the country, particularly in rural areas. It means major advancements for American businesses, too – especially in energy and manufacturing that are seeking to modernize and digitize their operations.

With the Federal Communications Commission’s unanimous approval, in April 2020, of Ligado Networks’ application to facilitate 5G and Internet of Things services, Ligado has been a company on the move. It has recently announced business deals with Mavenir, Nokia, Rakuten and Saankhya Labs. And, Ligado says, its mobile network offerings for critical infrastructure provides another option for entities in need of 5G services. Join Ligado President and CEO Doug Smith and Competitive Carriers Association President and CEO Steven K. Berry, in conversation with Broadband Breakfast Editor and Publisher Drew Clark, for this special Broadband Breakfast Club for Lunch event.

Panelists:

• Doug Smith, President and CEO, Ligado Networks
• Steven K. Berry, President and CEO, Competitive Carriers Association
• Drew Clark (moderator), Editor and Publisher, Broadband Breakfast

• Doug Smith is President and CEO of Ligado Networks and is responsible for directing the vision of the company and managing every aspect of its day-to-day operations. He leads efforts to utilize its state-of-the-art communications assets in operating a network solutions firm designed to extend coverage, increase capacity, and accelerate the delivery of next-generation technology for America’s wireless and critical infrastructure industries. With more than 25 years of domestic and international telecom and wireless industry experience, Doug has engineered, built, and launched nationwide networks for GTE, Nextel, Sprint Nextel, and Clearwire.
• Drew Clark (moderator), Editor and Publisher of Broadband Breakfast, also serves as Of Counsel to The CommLaw Group. He has helped fiber-based and fixed wireless providers negotiate telecom leases and fiber IRUs, litigate to operate in the public right of way, and argue regulatory classifications before federal and state authorities. In addition to representing public and private providers on broadband issues, Drew is actively involved in issues surrounding interconnected Voice-over-Internet-Protocol service, spectrum licenses, robocalling including STIR/SHAKEN, and the provision of video franchises and “over-the-top” copyrighted content.
• Steven K. Berry is President and CEO of Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) the nation’s leading association for competitive wireless providers serving rural, regional and nationwide markets in the United States. A seasoned lawyer who worked for Congress (House and Senate), the Executive Branch and as a partner at Holland & Knight law firm, Berry has held positions as the Senior Vice President of Government Relations for three associations, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association (NCTA), the CTIA-The Wireless Association, and the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).

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