New satellites to compete with GPS
As Global Positioning System (GPS) is solely owned by United State’s Department of Defense (DoD), other European Union countries and Russia trying to establish their own satellite navigation systems. The new location based service would be more precise and profitable compared to GPS.
The European Union is preparing to launch its $4 billion mega project of satellite navigation service and hopefully it would come into operation by 2010. The EU has decided to offer satellite signals to all GPS receivers that means if US stops its service, still then the users can utilize their devices.
All GPS satellites are now controlled by the US military that has the sole right to use or stop service and so is not answerable to anybody. Galileo will come into function with more number of satellites with refined technology and hence will be more reliable in location.
On the other hand US military is planning to repair and bring some modification in its 28 years old satellite navigation system.
Another satellite system is Russia’s Glonass that will also work soon with better services. Though, it has started before USA’s GPS but was not in operation since the Cold War.
Again Japan and China are in process of developing small satellite navigation systems thereby creating vast opportunities for location services. There are various navigation devices manufacture companies that have signed agreement with these services providers. It is estimated that the global market for location based service will double by 2010.