US hedge fund Harbinger has chosen former Orange CEO Sanjiv Ahuja to lead its efforts to build a new high-speed mobile carrier in the US using LTE technology. The new company, in addition to controlling access to 13 MHz of terrestrial spectrum, has a controlling interest in SkyTerra Communications, an L Band mobile satellite services company. The company will build an LTE network to combine a terrestrial wireless broadband network with next-generation satellite technology to provide nationwide wireless broadband connectivity. The company will operate on a wholesale-only business model. Separately, the Wall Street Journal reported that Harbinger, which is attempting to raise USD 1-2 billion in equity and bank financing for the venture, is in talks with potential strategic investors including US operator Qwest Communications and South Korean conglomerate SK Holdings. A source familair with the matter told the paper that there remained disagreements over stake sizes and the board's composition. Harbinger CEO Philip Falcone is trying to keep as much equity as he can, following four years of effort and over USD 2 billion of investment in the venture. The venture plans to start service in the trial markets Phoenix and Denver, where Qwest is based, ahead of a commercial launch by the third quarter of 2011.
