COMMITIEE ON ARMED SERVICES
COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET
COMMITIEE ON
HOMELAND SECURITY AND
GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS
MARK BEGICH
ALASKA
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WASHINGTON, DC 2D51Q
COMMITIEE ON
COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITIEE ON OCEANS,
ATMOSPHERE, FISHERIES AND COAST GUARD
COMMITIEE ON VETERANS' AFFAIRS
September 28,2012
Chairman Julius Genachowski
Federal Communications Commission
Office of the Chairman
445 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20554-0005
Dear Chairman Genachowski:
I have been following the Federal Communication Commission's (FCC) proposal to
withdraw LightSquared's license for a terrestrial broadband network. As we move into
the 21 st Century, government services, small business opportunities, and educational
programs are increasingly reliant on high-speed internet access, Providing broadband
access to rural Americans is vital to the success of our nation. The FCC should not
deprive rural citizens of the opportunity to expand and grow their potential.
While they currently provide service to thousands ofAlaskans through their satellite
business, LightSquared is also committed to creating partnerships with rural operators
because they understand that high-speed terrestrial networks are important for
underserved areas. As you know, I am most concerned and committed to calling
attention to the unserved and underserved areas, which is why the path forward
envisioned by LightSquared is an important aspect to close the digital divide.
I understand that the FCC has said it is open to exploring alternatives for the company. I
urge you to work with LightSquared and other spectrum holders to identify alternate
spectrum that could be used for a 4G LTE wireless broadband network, and to
aggressively consider solutions for this company as many have proposed.
Sincerely,
/#~~~
Mark Begich
United States Senator
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