GPS Tracking Is At Risk!

Your GPS Tracking way of life is at risk.  I’ve written several times lately on the issue of a company called LightSquared who is convinced that they should build a 40,000 tower cellular network across the US that could (correction will,  based on actual testing) interfere with our free global utility known as GPS.

I’m really a bid saddened by the fact I have seen no responses here and no meaningful articles on this subject on any of the other blogs in this niche.

I know for a fact that a few company executives, corporate founders, etc. read my work … but apparently they are a bit too busy with “status quo” issues than they are with thinking about the future of our industry. 

The GPS Tracking Risk Is REAL

Folks, this could be a life-changing issue, in more ways than one … and it’s way to complicated for the talking heads at Fox and other network commentators to even take note of.

This article from AvWeb.com gives a good current rundown.  If you earn your living using GPS tracking, or you depend upon GPS tracking for your business, you better think strongly about Save Our GPS — Get Writing, Friends’ target=_blank>writing your representatives and also joining the Coalition to Save Our GPS.

What’s particular scary to me in the AvWeb article is the fact that a shadowy venture capital firm has already (supposedly, anyway) invested 2.9 billion dollars in LightSquared. 

When serious money like that gets behind a project it becomes nearly impossible for $70K or $125K a year government executives and regulators to squawk loud enough to be heard.

Once this monstrosity starts building out cell towers it will be too late to stop it … interference and common sense be dammed … LightSquared will become another of those ludicrous “To Big To Fail” blots on our landscape, but in this case they will destroy the utility of GPS as we know it.

Tests Show LightSquared Interferes With GPS’ target=_blank>Tests Show LightSquared Interferes With GPS

Testing has shown that a proposed national wireless broadband network system could negatively impact some GPS systems, or worse, and at least one company has already stepped forward to say they can fix the problem. LightSquared, which hopes to install 40,000 antennas across the country, may now face problems winning FCC approval that could also translate into additional costs for its primary financial backer. Meanwhile, a committee that advises air-traffic management policy believes GPS and LightSquared can be made to co-exist. And at least one company thinks it could offer an effective solution.

LightSquared’s largest financial backer, Harbinger Capital Partners, has already invested $2.9 billion of assets into the project, according to LightSquared. According to a Wall Street Journal article published Wednesday, regulators are probing certain trades Harbinger (a hedge fund) made years ago. It is not yet clear if that will have any affect on the company’s relationship with LightSpeed. Those who would like to see LightSquared prosper may include Symmetricom, a company that says packet-based primary reference source synchronization solutions could eliminate any interference between the LightSquared system and aviation GPS. Whatever the case, moving forward may require further modifications and testing to determine a method for safe and practical deployment of the LightSquared system.

What Can You Do Today To Save GPS Tracking?

In particular I urge you to read the unimpeachable, disinterested third-party report from emergency responders present at the initial LightSquared tests.  These folks are your customers if you are in this business.  Those folks are also the very guys you expect to come, quickly and accurately, to your aid if you dial 911.

This isn’t a simple issue guys and gals.  And it isn’t just this old guy ranting in the wilderness.

GPS tracking life is going to change in ways you haven’t even thought of, and the changes won’t be in a positive direction at all.

Do something today, or you’ll have to live with my ITYS (I Told You So) next year, as you wonder why your existing good products don’t perform for customers any more.

GPS Tracking needs you help.