LightSquared asks FCC to confirm spectrum rights

The embattled wireless startup LightSquared formally asked the Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday to rule that global positioning system manufacturers should be responsible for making sure their devices don't experience interference.

Repeated tests have shown that LightSquared's planned nationwide wholesale wireless network would interfere with GPS devices. The FCC has blocked the company from moving forward with its plans until the interference issues are resolved.

But LightSquared argues that GPS devices are not entitled to use LightSquared's spectrum because they don't own the licenses. On Tuesday it filed a petition asking the FCC for a declaratory ruling to confirm the company's spectrum rights.

"Commercial GPS receivers are not licensed, do not operate under any service rules, and thus are not entitled to any interference protection whatsoever,'' the petition said.

The Coalition to Save our GPS, a group of GPS manufacturers and users that oppose planned network, says LightSquared should be responsible for preventing potentially dangerous interference.

"...it is clear that LightSquared simply refuses to accept the overwhelming technical evidence on the interference issue and continues to try to 'define away' devastating test results," the coalition said in a statement when additional test results were released on Thursday.