US communications agency to explore alternatives to GPS systems

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By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Wednesday it plans to vote next month to explore alternatives to GPS after national security concerns have been raised about relying on a single system crucial to modern life.

GPS, short for global positioning system, is a network of satellites and receiving devices used for positioning, navigation and timing on Earth in everything from ships and planes to cars.

“Continuing to rely so heavily on one system leaves us exposed,” FCC Chair Brendan Carr said. “We need to develop redundant technologies.”

There have been reports of a rise in GPS interference around the world, particularly since 2023, known as spoofing raising fears of an increased risk of accidents if planes veer off-course.

“Disruptions to GPS have the potential to undermine the nation’s economic and national security. And the risks to our current system are only increasing,” Carr said, noting President Donald Trump and a bipartisan group of lawmakers have called for action for years.

The FCC will vote on March 27 an inquiry to explore other Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems that can be complements or alternatives to GPS.

“We hope this effort will engage stakeholders across government and industry to encourage the development of new PNT technologies and solutions,” Carr said.

GPS is one of the more important navigation tools in aviation, which has replaced expensive ground devices that would transmit radio beams to guide planes towards landing but is fairly easy because GPS relies on signals broadcast from satellites in medium Earth orbit and are vulnerable to disruptions.

The Federal Aviation Administration said last year it was working with interagency and international partners on global navigation satellite system authentication capabilities to disrupt spoofing.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Alistair Bell)