Every day, Americans depend on the Global Positioning System far more than they realize. Positioning, Navigation, and Timing services such as GPS underpin nearly every aspect of modern life — from emergency response and aviation safety to financial transactions and power grid synchronization. A disruption to GPS would be catastrophic, which is why the United States must strengthen and back up GPS with a robust and redundant PNT infrastructure.

Recognizing the importance of GPS reliability, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr recently launched a Notice of Inquiry into new PNT technologies. The goal of this proceeding is to evaluate a range of potential systems that could complement or back up GPS, ensuring the nation’s critical infrastructure remains secure and resilient. That effort is timely and essential.