WASHINGTON, D.C. (Nexstar) — The GPS signals our phones use to determine our location or help us in traffic are also an important part of our national defense.
And the Defense Department fears some of the latest 5G technology approved by the FCC could interfere with it.
Oklahoma Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe says the signal is in danger after the FCC decision allowing the wireless company Ligado to operate a low power nationwide 5G network on the same spectrum used for GPS.
“A few powerful people made a hasty decision over the weekend in the middle of the national crisis, against the judgement of every other agency involved,” says Inhofe.
Dana Deasy, the Defense Department’s Chief Information Officer, says if the FCC doesn’t reverse its decision, the entire military is at risk.
“The FCC decision will impact war fighter exercises, testing, training, and homeland defense,” says Deasy.
Ligado says their system would not interfere with GPS because of an unused band separating the two. Still, Pentagon officials say they aren’t satisfied.
A spokesperson with the FCC called the push back “baseless fear mongering” and said the decision was bipartisan and “based on sound engineering principles.”
