Ligado sues US government for using its roadblocked 5G spectrum

TAMPA, Fla. — Ligado Networks said Oct. 13 it is suing the U.S. government for derailing its wireless network plans so the company’s assigned spectrum could instead be used for Department of Defense systems.

The DoD has been using the L-band frequencies without providing compensation, Ligado said in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, while embarking on a misinformation campaign over the potential for GPS interference that forced the company to put its 5G plans on hold last year.

In addition to the United States and DoD, Ligado is suing the Department of Commerce and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for supporting the DoD’s use of spectrum that it holds under a Federal Communications Commission license.

“This case concerns the largest uncompensated taking of private property by our nation’s government in modern times,” Ligado said in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.