A new ruling from the FCC could make GPS devices in the U.S. as much as five times more accurate. The FCC voted on Thursday to permit phones and location trackers to connect with a more modern European satellite system that is generally more reliable and accurate.
The first consumer product connected to the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS) became available in 1989. The European Union’s counterpart, Galileo, went online in 2004. While GPS location data for consumers is typically accurate within 16 feet, VentureBeat reports that Galileo is accurate within a margin of three feet. (GPS location accuracy is higher for U.S. military use because receivers for the armed forces use a second frequency.)
With this FCC decision, users in the U.S. will be able to access two of Galileo’s three satellite signals (E1 and E5), as the third band (E6) lies in a range prohibited for use in the country. In addition to the GPS and Galileo satellite systems, there are two other global satellite navigation systems currently in use. Russia operates a competitor called GLONASS, and China’s counterpart is called BeiDou.
Companies with GPS wearable tech should be able to increase location accuracy. STATSports’ president for its North American soccer division, Marilou McFarlane, said users could expect moderate improvement in challenging environments for satellite signals. STATSports is the exclusive wearable partner for U.S. Soccer.
“The STATSports Apex contains a multi-constellation multi-band GNSS receiver while also supporting satellite-based augmentation,” McFarlane wrote in an email. “This makes it one of the only athlete monitoring devices on the market to support the concurrent complimentary use of the GPS, Galileo, Glonass and BeiDou systems to provide accurate and reliable player positioning data in challenging environments such as stadiums, urban areas and partly obstructed training facilities.
“The FCC approval to allow access to the Galileo E1 and E5 frequencies is a welcome announcement given the improved availability, reliability, and resiliency it will provide to multi-band GNSS equipped devices such as the STATSport Apex.”
Most smartphones made in the last couple of years are built with the hardware to support Galileo, and only a software update is needed to make that function active. An online resource called UseGalileo indicates that Apple’s iPhones are compatible beginning with the 6 series, Samsung phones beginning with the Galaxy Note 7, and Google starting with the Pixel 2.
“All this means that earth station receivers of non-Federal government users will be permitted to use two Galileo signals in the same bands where GPS operates, increasing the availability, reliability, and resiliency of services,” saud FCC chairman Ajit Pai in a statement. “Or, in English: those with satellite-connected devices will have more pairs of eyes looking out for them.”
SportTechie Takeaway
GPS trackers are among the most common and useful sports wearable devices, catering to elite sports, fitness enthusiasts, and everyday people. Just about every top-flight soccer club wears brands such as Catapult and STATSports, as do teams in other outdoor sports like football, rugby, and more. Active amateurs often will use GPS watches from brands like Apple, Garmin, and Polar, and many drivers rely on GPS navigation. This FCC announcement ought to improve the accuracy for all users of the technology.