The U.S. telecom regulator FCC wants to seek an alternative to the Global Positioning System (GPS) for security reasons. The regulator believes dependence on one system encourages vulnerability.
At the end of this month, the FCC will decide whether to launch an investigation into alternative options to the (military but publicly available) GPS system. The main reason for this investigation is that the regulator believes dependence on a single system poses potential security risks.
According to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, it is important to develop redundant technologies for so-called Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems to reduce this dependence. These alternatives should also help prevent the compromise of the US national economy and security.
The telecom regulator’s top executive further indicated in a commentary that President Trump and politicians of both parties have been warning about this dependence on the GPS system for years.
GPS spoofing increasing problem
The GPS system, based on a global orbiting network of satellites and receiving equipment or chips, is used by ships, planes, and cars, smartphones and the well-known consumer navigation apps, and (intelligent) weapon systems.
Recently, especially around conflict areas, the system has been regularly disrupted by “GPS spoofing. This no longer gives the exact location, but sometimes a position far from it. This increases the risk of accidents, for example, when planes take the wrong course.
The U.S. aviation authority FAA is now said to be working with domestic and international partners on specific authentication capabilities for the GPS system to prevent spoofing.
Other global navigation systems
GPS is not the only global navigation, positioning, and timing system in use, but it is the most widely used. In addition to GPS, the European alternative Galileo and the Russian Glonass also exist. China has its own satellite navigation system, Beidou.