Bush Lays Out Revised GPS Shutdown Policy
President Bush announced a new policy Wed. to shut down the country’s global positioning system (GPS) satellites temporarily during national crises to thwart terrorists’ efforts to use the navigational technology. Sources said Thurs. any shutdown of GPS would cripple systems in virtually every aspect of American life, including telecom, cable and broadcasting.
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On the telecom side, many systems, including digital switches used to transfer calls, would be disrupted by a shutdown because they use clocks controlled by GPS. Telematic systems like GM’s OnStar mapping and cellular calling system would be crippled. E911 would stop functioning in most cases since it’s most commonly uses GPS devices embedded in wireless phones. A wireless technology expert noted that GPS-controlled switches are deep in carriers’ systems: “To turn off GPS would affect a lot of stuff, from the customer to the network."GPS won’t be turned off “on a whim or on a rumor,” said Mike Swiek, exec. dir. for the U.S. GPS Industry Council. He advised those sounding alarms over the policy announcement to “take a step back [and] take a deep breath.” The policy was crafted in a “sober and rational way” and the real significance of the statement is that it demonstrates that the authorities who own and manage GPS are ensuring that the technology remains a “reliable global utility for legitimate civilian users as the global environment for satellite navigation continues to evolve.”
The only new dimension in the guidance is the inclusion of a coordinating role for the Dept. of Homeland Security, which didn’t exist when the White House last issued a statement on GPS 8 years ago, Swiek said. “Since then, markets have changed, industries have evolved, the U.S. government has changed,” and the document simply refreshes and updates the regulatory structure for GPS, Swiek said.
A GPS disablement would occur only under the most severe circumstances and would be handled at the highest levels of govt., a Bush administration official told us. The fact that the President can disrupt GPS is “old news,” the official said, adding that the govt. has always reserved right to deny GPS in times of conflict.
A shutdown would be accomplished through localized jamming to minimize disruption, not systemwide denial, the official said. As a matter of record, the official said the country’s GPS has never been “turned off” and the Administration realizes how crucial the technology is to national and international communication and commerce.
The administration sees Bush’s new policy as a “forward looking” document: The policy states that the U.S. must continue to improve and maintain GPS augmentation and backup capabilities to meet the growing needs of the public and private sectors. The policy is also intended to help the country continue to provide civil GPS services competitive with foreign-based systems, the govt. said.
Denying GPS on a broad scale outside a “theater of combat” would be an “extraordinary event,” Swiek said: “Even during 9/11, the system continued to operate.” He added that on the battlefield, localized jamming of GPS and wireless communication occurs routinely.
One satellite industry source said the Administration policy isn’t new and reflects White House authority that has never been used. “The President has always had the authority to do this,” the source said. “We had a Gulf War that was won on the back of GPS. We had 9-11 and we have a war now. The President has never shut GPS down. It would bring systems to a screeching halt.”
Broadcasters who use GPS as a standard for precise frequency control of transmitters may be affected, said Lynn Claudy, NAB senior vp-science & technology. But he said he didn’t believe many broadcasters use GPS for transmitter synchronization.