LightSquared to provide free satellite phones, services to Indian Health Services agency

Looking to capitalize on its satellite service capabilities, LightSquared announced a partnership with the Indian Health Services federal agency to provide free phones and service for use in American Indian and Alaska Native communities through 2020. The plan calls for LightSquared to provide up to 2,000 phones for the project.
LightSquared said it was working with HIS staff on developing plans to incorporate tribal governments’ input for the service and to establish a pilot program later this fall for health centers in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas.
LightSquared’s satellite services are set to run on the assets of the former SkyTerra Communications, which Harbinger acquired earlier this year.
LightSquared last month triggered a spectrum re-banding clause in an agreement with Inmarsat plc that calls for Inmarsat to begin re-banding its L-Band spectrum covering North America. Once completed, the re-banding will provide LightSquared with spectrum it plans to use to begin building out a terrestrial/satellite hybrid network.
LightSquared announced plans in late July to build out a nationwide LTE network using its spectrum assets and to wholesale access to that network to interested parties. The deal included an eight-year, $7 billion equipment and management agreement with Nokia Siemens Networks.
The wholesale plans are to include both terrestrial and satellite communication services.
While the wireless industry has in general tried to fight the re-use of spectrum originally set aside for satellite services to offer traditional cellular services combined with satellite components, the national government has been in favor of such options in the wake of recent natural disasters.
AT&T Mobility last week began offering a satellite-equipped smart phone that can access the carrier’s cellular network as well as the satellite offering from TerreStar Networks Inc.