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LTE, colloquially known as 4G, or fourth-generation, cell phone technology, could put GPS at risk once it is adopted (according to some people). This is because the LTE cell phone technology’s radio spectrum could be too close to the spectrum that GPS uses. If the FCC approves the LTE standard as it currently stands, it could cause interference with GPS.

Members of the GPS industry found this issue to be serious enough to talk to the FCC about it on January 19 in order to discuss the recent findings that the LTE spectrum may be too close to the GPS.

But here’s the thing: the FCC seems not to particularly care that it the spectrums of the two technologies will be interfering with one another; it granted permission for its own rules to be waived in light of the findings.

This is clearly a problem for GPS technology, particularly if it is not resolved by the time LTE devices become ubiquitous.

In particular, devices by an LTE device manufacturer named LightSquared are causing these real, demonstrable issues with GPS. While LightSquared would not comment on the findings, consumers will likely continue to complain about this clash of technology if it is not resolved in due course.

Article Written by Greg Minton